The Los Angeles Chargers will defeat Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers
By Mark Liedahl
The Los Angeles Chargers 2019 season has been a nightmare from the start. From injuries to impact players and a certain running back’s regrettable decision to hold out for a contract extension. It is fair to say that this year has not gone according to anyone’s plan.
Now sitting at 3-5the Chargers prepare to host the 7-1Green Bay Packers, who just beat division rival Kansas City on the road.
In a move that was both a surprise and highly anticipated, coach Anthony Lynn fired offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt. This change was completely necessary. Watching Chargers games this season it was clear, the offensive game plan was predictable and Philip Rivers had grown frustrated with the playcalling. In more than one instance this season Rivers has been seen voicing his obvious displeasure on the sideline.
Since returning to the lineup, Melvin Gordon has been completely ineffective- gaining only 112 yards on 44 carries. That is an average of 2.5 yards per carry. Not good by any measure.
Nevertheless, Gordon has received the bulk of the carries since returning. This has been irritating to Chargers fans, to say the least. The decision to stick with Gordon probably resulted in the firing of coach Whisenhunt.
Shane Steichen has been promoted to offensive coordinator after serving as quarterbacks coach, where he worked closely with Rivers. The knowledge and trust these two have gained will undoubtedly show in the offensive play calls moving forward.
While coach Whisenhunt had grown too comfortable with predictable running plays, Steichen may feel more comfortable letting Rivers air it out more often.
The change at coordinator could pay huge dividends for the team moving forward. For the first time in a long time, no-one knows just what the Chargers offense will do. Predictability is no longer a certainty.
There are volumes of film on how Whisenhunt calls plays, what he does in certain situations, and against different formations. Can Steichen and Rivers take advantage of what people don’t know? That is a question that will begin to be answered on Sunday. If they do succeed, then this season may just be saved.
On paper it is easy to see why many are predicting the road team to come away with an easy victory. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense are averaging 26.9 points per game while only giving up 20.4 ppg. This is a dangerous team on both sides of the ball.
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The Chargers meanwhile are quietly boasting a pretty good defense allowing only 19.6 points per game That is why I expect the Chargers to come out victorious on Sunday.
Green Bay will struggle to defend the now unpredictable Chargers offense. Los Angeles’ defense will do its job and limit the Packers’ offense just enough to let Rivers get his first career victory against the Packers.
In many ways, the 2019 season is a perfect representation of being a Chargers fan. This is another reason that I expect Los Angeles to improve to 4-5 on Sunday. “The Chargers are gonna Charger“- and that is why this team will win when most are anticipating them to lose.
Do not under any circumstance take my game prediction seriously or use it as a basis for placing a bet. Predicting games is always a struggle for me, (I always see a Chargers victory) but for fun- I see this game ending 26-21, Chargers win.