5 takeaways from a big Chargers’ road win over the Seahawks

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 04: Melvin Gordon III #28, Tyrell Williams #16, and Mike Williams #81 of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrate after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on November 04, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 04: Melvin Gordon III #28, Tyrell Williams #16, and Mike Williams #81 of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrate after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on November 04, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 04: Keenan Allen #13 of the Los Angeles Chargers makes a catch in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on November 04, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 04: Keenan Allen #13 of the Los Angeles Chargers makes a catch in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on November 04, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

3. Keenan Allen, have a game

Keenan Allen hadn’t had a 100-yard game since Week 1. Maybe that feels crazy to say, but it’s not his fault. The Chargers, to their benefit, have so many mouths to feed on offense.

Between Allen, Tyrell Williams and Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler, Gordon, Antonio Gates and Virgil Green, there’s so many options Rivers has. But Keenan really reasserted himself as the number one receiver on the team, making six catches for 124 yards on the day.

He also broke off a long run to get the Chargers out of starting field position deep in their own territory.

The Chargers have to have one of the deadliest receiver groups. And if Allen can continue the athleticism and release-off-the-line skills he showed today, it will be almost impossible to stop him, Tyrell and Mike.

4. The defense can stop the run

The Chargers clogged up the Seahawks’ running game all day. There was nothing doing between their three running backs most of the day.

They forced Seattle to throw the ball in the second half and won with that, after Seattle was flaming out on drives until they were kind of forced to throw. The defense has been pretty good all year, but I’m specifically looking at the rush defense because that’s what’s been a problem for the team in the past.

How have things changed from year to year? The Chargers were 31st in the league in rush defense last year. They’re now 15th. They’re more middle of the pack now and game by game, they’re only getting better. When Joey Bosa comes back in December, you can only imagine they’ll get better.

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