5. The Chargers got lucky with Melvin Gordon’s injury
Melvin Gordon going down looked bad at 28-10 in the third quarter. I thought it was a torn ACL when it happened. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. It ended up being a grade 2 MCL sprain, which probably will cost Gordon a few weeks, but isn’t nearly as severe and damaging to both the short-term prospects of this season and the long-term prospects of his career as an ACL tear would’ve been.
Gordon being out for three or four weeks likely is still bad for the team, no doubt. But with the wins they’ve racked up already, as well as how serviceable Austin Ekeler has been, I don’t think there’s a lot of reason to worry as far as playoff implications. Especially with the way Rivers is playing right now. This will not doom the Chargers this season, and I think they’ll eventually be at a point where they can rest him before the playoffs.
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OVERALL
The Chargers got back in the win column in dominant fashion against a struggling Cardinals team. Rivers had his perfect game, and the offense and defense both looked rejuvenated after the tough loss against Denver. Gordon being out will hurt the team in the short term, but I do believe that in the long term, they’ll be fine and he’ll eventually be back to play meaningful football.
NEXT WEEK
This is the most difficult opponent the Chargers have faced since Week 3 against the Rams.
The Steelers are a tough team to beat, and will be looking to have a big game following their own loss to Denver (almost like that team’s better than their record indicates.). I think this is a game that will come down to the last few possessions.
Gordon will be missed for this one, but I do believe the Chargers can win with their offensive firepower. It’ll all come down to how their fourth-quarter production shows up.