Full San Diego Chargers Awards at Halfway Point of 2014 Season
The San Diego Chargers’ 2014 season took an unexpected turn, meaning several winners from the quarter-season awards have changed and new awards have been added.
The Chargers started the season with a bang, going 5-1 and generating some MVP cred for Philip Rivers. Now, two consecutive losses and a mass of injuries have dampened San Diego’s hopes in a crowded AFC playoff picture.
Which players have exceled despite these rough times? Whose presence has been missed the most? Who has given the Chargers an unexpected boost on the field?
Read on to find out the answers to these questions along with the reasoning behind each award winner.
MVP: Philip Rivers, QB
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No surprise here. Rivers’ performance has dipped in the past two weeks, but he is clearly the most important player on the Chargers. With the offensive line in shambles and an undrafted rookie being the only healthy back, he is carrying his team like no one else in football with the razor-sharp accuracy of his right arm.
Rivers is completing 68.3 percent of his passes, which is fifth among quarterbacks this season, and has thrown 20 touchdowns to just five interceptions. He spreads the ball around and has improved his touch on deep throws.
Weeks 7 and 8 have been bumpy for the entire team, but Rivers can and will bounce back to his wildly impressive early-season form.
Best Offensive Player (Non-QB): Antonio Gates, TE
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Gates snags this award again, as he looked even better in the second quarter of the season than he did in the first.
Sure, he didn’t have a repeat of his Week 2 shellacking of the Seattle Seahawks, but he was much more consistent. He caught six touchdowns in Weeks 5-8, increasing his total to nine on the season. As an underneath and red-zone option, there are few more reliable than the 34-year-old tight end.
Malcom Floyd and Branden Oliver also received consideration for this award, but Gates’ entire second-quarter stretch prevails over their occasional outbursts.
Best Defensive Player: Eric Weddle, S
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It’s 2013 all over again.
With the defense falling apart around him, Weddle has attempted to salvage the unit’s performance with several high-flying plays. He made a ridiculous one-handed interception against Peyton Manning in Week 8 that was called back for a defensive-holding penalty and forced a fumble that Denver recovered.
Weddle is looking even better than he did last year, missing fewer tackles and being more active in pass coverage. He leads all Chargers defenders with 58 total tackles and a plus-13.1 Pro Football Focus rating (subscription required).
Brandon Flowers’ injury issues and a quiet Dwight Freeney made this award an easy choice.
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Most Impressive Comeback: Malcom Floyd
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Fully recovered from a career-threatening 2013 neck injury, Floyd continues to be a terrifying down-the-field option that the Chargers offense lacked last season.
His heroics versus the Oakland Raiders in Week 6 got the Chargers a crucial divisional win. He caught five passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. He has gained at least 50 yards receiving in each the past four games, which is notable since deep threats are notorious for game-to-game volatility in production.
The Heating Up Award: Branden Oliver
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Oliver had a silent first quarter of the season behind the unimpressive Donald Brown. In the second quarter, he heated up and brought life into a dormant Chargers running game.
His burst and receiving ability are typical for 5’9” backs, but he is also a physical runner who can gain yards after contact, a rare combination. An undrafted rookie out of University of Buffalo, Oliver has turned into one of the NFL’s best stories.
Oliver walloped a stout New York Jets run defense in Week 5 with 182 total yards and a 6.0 rushing average. In Week 6, he gained 124 yards from scrimmage and scored the game-winning touchdown. He wasn’t leaned upon as much in the Chargers’ losses to Denver and Kansas City, but it’s clear he has a bright NFL future.
The Need You Now Award: TIE–Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett
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The Chargers pass defense fell off a cliff in the season’s second quarter.
Cornerbacks Brandon Flowers, a veteran revitalized in a familiar scheme, and Jason Verrett, a standout rookie with sticky coverage skills, missed several games and it was evident how much San Diego relied on the two in its losses to the Chiefs and Broncos.
Backups Richard Marshall and Shareece Wright attempted to fill the void, but neither had success and were picked on by Alex Smith and Peyton Manning with regularity. Marshall was released today.
The Chargers have dealt with several injuries this season, but none have been as damaging as the injuries to Flowers and Verrett. They need them now.
Most Interesting Stat: Chargers Continue TOP Dominance
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The Chargers lost the time of possession battle in Weeks 7 and 8, but their ball control in weeks previous was excellent. The team currently ranks third in average time per drive, according to Pro Football Reference, behind only two run-heavy offenses in Dallas and San Francisco. San Diego has a lower turnover percentage than both teams.
While offensive coordinator Frank Reich has implemented some hurry-up into the offense, it is clear the Chargers still like to drain defenses with grinding drives. Once Mathews is fully healthy, that philosophy will become even more apparent.
Biggest Issue: Separating from the Wild-Card Pack
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Twelve out of the 16 teams in the AFC are at or above .500, including the Chargers. Four of these teams will grab a divisional title, and the eight remaining teams will be left to fight for two wild-card spots as the regular season gets closer to its end.
Denver has clearly established itself as the class of the AFC West, and they will win the division title barring an unprecedented collapse.
This means the Chargers have to make it in as a wild card, so they must return to their winning ways sooner rather than later—9-7 got them into the dance in 2013, but an 11-5 record might be necessary to make this year’s postseason.
Injuries have also been a major issue for the Chargers. However, that is a league-wide issue that most team analysts would cite, even if it has stung San Diego worse than most.
Best Play: Jason Verrett’s Leaping Interception
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Verrett wasn’t gifted this interception versus the Raiders. He had to earn it, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The Chargers were clinging to a three-point lead with less than two minutes remaining, and the Oakland-raised rookie sealed the game with a leaping pick in Chargers territory.
Verrett has dealt with the injury bug this year, but when he is on the field, the Chargers are a much better team. His game-changing play in Week 6 gets the last award.
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