Chargers Need to Get Back to Basics to Repeat 2013 Magic

The 2014 San Diego Chargers may be experiencing a bit of déjà vu. The team is reeling after a third consecutive loss—suffered in Miami—for the second consecutive year.

The main difference is that the team is 5-4 instead of 4-6 coming off that loss. It is also trying to rebound in a home game after its bye week against the 0-9 Oakland Raiders instead of a road game against a 9-1 Kansas City Chiefs team.

If the Chargers want to return to their winning ways, they need to get back to basics. For them, that’s running the ball efficiently in order to protect a suspect defense. They only need to replicate a little bit of the magic they had in the second half of last season to make the playoffs again.

The running game and clock control is important for the Chargers because the defense has struggled recently. Only the New York Jets allowed more points than the Chargers from Week 6-9.

While it seemed like the defense had turned a corner during the first five games of the season, it struggled to maintain that level of play as the injuries mounted. The Chargers are currently allowing opponents to convert on third down 48.7 percent of the time—the second worst number in the entire league.

The Chargers will be without rookie stalwart cornerback Jason Verrett indefinitely, although they hope he can play through a shoulder injury at some point. Nose tackle Sean Lissemore is out Sunday, linebacker Manti Te'o has been out and Brandon Flowers has missed time. 

When 100 percent healthy, the Chargers have proven they can play good defense. Unfortunately for them, the NFL never affords complete health. 

The Chargers are going to need their stagnant running game to help them out of their current rut. Right on cue, the Chargers will get running back Ryan Mathews back from injury.

Over the first three games, the Chargers had a healthy Mathews or Danny Woodhead, and played good defense. Then they had two home wins over the 1-8 Jacksonville Jaguars and the 2-8 New York Jets—a great passing game was more than enough.

Since then, they've struggled to run the ball and on defense. Play better defense and get more rushing opportunities. Run the ball better, and the defense stays fresh because opposing offenses get fewer opportunities. The production of one has a lot to do with the other.

Against tougher opponents and on the road over the past month, the Chargers have really missed their talented running backs. The Chargers have rushed for just 60 yards per game during their three-game losing streak.

“Always the key is you want to run it, when and how you want to run it. You want to impose your will on the other team,” offensive coordinator Frank Reich said Thursday via Chargers.com. “We have a good passing attack so we’ve got to take advantage of that, but we need to be able to run it effectively when we want to.”

Data via Pro Football Focus.

Mathews averaged 4.4 yards per carry and 78.4 yards per game on the ground last year. Branden Oliver and Donald Brown have combined for 521 yards on 161 carries this season, just 3.2 yards per pop.

Clearly, the Chargers are desperate for production in the running game, but they aren’t necessarily going to ease Mathews in. The gap between Mathews and the alternatives is simply too great to leave him on the bench.

“I’ve seen (Mathews) carry it 58 times in five days before, so I’m not going to put any limits on him,” head coach Mike McCoy said Thursday via Chargers.com. “We’ll see how he feels throughout the game, and we’ll go from there.”

At least part of the difference has been the performance of the offensive line in 2014 compared to 2013. The big fellas up front just aren’t getting the same push that they were last season.

Grades via Pro Football Focus

While having Mathews will make a difference, the offensive line will still have to give him some wiggle room. Compared to last year, the Chargers have only upgraded at right guard, per Pro Football Focus grades (subscription required). Left tackle King Dunlap remains the team’s best run-blocker, but he has taken a huge step back along with the rest of the offensive line.

The offensive line gets a stiff test against the Oakland Raiders Sunday. Despite their 0-9 record, they have one of the league's premier run defenders in outside linebacker Khalil Mack and are allowing just 3.8 yards per carry. Teams are racking up yards on the ground against the Raiders simply in volume with a league-high 307 attempts. 

If the Chargers can get back to basics, they may go on a run reminiscent of 2013. The Chargers have four of their next five games at home, including two games against sub-.500 opponents over the next two weeks before the schedule gets more difficult. 

Without a decent running game, the Chargers will be too reliant on quarterback Philip Rivers and an injury-plagued defense to win against top competition consistently. Expect the Chargers to spend the next couple weeks trying to get their running game in order.