Chargers report card at midway point of season

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 21: Denzel Perryman of Los Angeles Chargers and team mates celebrate his interception during the NFL International Series match between Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers at Wembley Stadium on October 21, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 21: Denzel Perryman of Los Angeles Chargers and team mates celebrate his interception during the NFL International Series match between Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers at Wembley Stadium on October 21, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Chargers have won their last four games and sit at 5-2 halfway through the 2018 season.

How does the team grade out in each phase of the game so far? Let’s take a look.

Offense

Philip Rivers- A+: Old man Rivers is a lock as Valedictorian.

Melvin Gordon- A+:  Unbelievable in breaking tackles and catching.

Austin Ekeler- A:      Whiz, don’t  run him up the middle so much.

Keenan Allen- A-:       Stop sulking about less touchdowns. Are you a leader? Or class Clown?

Mike Williams- B+:       Still growing & learning – quickly.

Tyrell Williams- B:       A+ the last two games, but flunked earlier.

Travis Benjamin- I:        INCOMPLETE

Virgil Green- C+:      More catches going forward, please.

Antonio Gates- C:  Seven games in and still overweight?  C’mon man.

OVERALL OFFENSE- A: The numbers don’t lie.  But coming up in the second half:  Four big tests before the final exams.

Special Teams

Caleb Sturgis- C-:    Let’s not kick a dead horse. Sign Badgely.

Desmond King- A+:    Desmond may change a game or two.

OVERALL SPECIAL TEAMS- C+.  Improvement needed.

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Defense

Secondary- B

Many wonderful plays, a few too many brain cramps.  The  Interceptions will grow when Joey Bosa returns to  terrorize quarterbacks. Derwin James gets an A.

Jahleel Addae- U:   “U” is for Ugly. Go to the principal’s office. And bring your playbook.

Defensive Line- B+.

Corey Liuget returned and Melvin Ingram went  into Rage Mode. Brandon Mebane is a quiet hero.

Linebackers- B  

Room for improvement on pass defense and on containing quarterbacks. Rookies are coming on, but we don’t see Uchenna Nwosu making enough plays. Yet.

Derwin James:  A-: And still learning by leaps and bounds.

Future Fights:  Nine matches  and the final four. Fast forward to the last nine games for this Chargers’ class of 2018, where there are four big tests coming up:

Seattle, Pittsburgh, Baltimore — and of course Kansas City.     

Regular Season BOLD PREDICTION:

Chargers improve their statistical defensive rankings, and go 11-5, but lose Divisional championship on tie-breakers to Kansas City Klaatu (super-alien Patrick Mahomes).

Share your regular-season-record prophecy in the COMMENTS section below.

Schedule