San Diego Chargers' Biggest Obstacles for a Deep Playoff Run
The San Diego Chargers (8-5) won't have it easy if they make it into the 2014 NFL playoffs. Already 0-2 against contenders New England and Denver, the Chargers' thin defense and the health of Ryan Mathews are two of the five biggest obstacles for them to make a deep playoff run.
San Diego is clinging to a wild-card spot in the AFC playoff picture after its 23-14 loss to the Patriots Sunday night. The offense as a whole struggled to get anything going, while the defense did all it could to keep the game competitive. Better performances in the weeks ahead are absolutely necessary.
This article will address the Chargers' most pressing concerns and how they affect the team’s chances in the playoffs. We'll tackle the most obvious question first: Will the Chargers even make the postseason?
Difficult Schedule
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San Diego won't be able to make a deep playoff run if it doesn't even get into the dance.
Currently, the Chargers hold the tiebreaker for the No. 6 seed over the Ravens, but that could change dramatically over the final weeks of the regular season. The Chargers are in the middle of a brutal late-season stretch, and they face Denver, San Francisco and Kansas City to wrap up 2014.
The Ravens, on the other hand, have the Jaguars, Texans and Browns remaining. The 7-6 Dolphins could also grab that coveted wild-card spot with games against the Jets and Vikings to end the season, since they have the tiebreaker over the Chargers.
There is a distinct possibility that the Chargers will have to go 3-0 against three potential playoff teams in order to make the postseason. They benefited from a soft early-season slate, but now the schedule is their worst enemy.
Ryan Mathews' Health
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Chargers running back Ryan Mathews got off to a strong start against the Patriots. He displayed the speed, vision and power that the team relied upon so much in the second half of 2013. Besides Rivers, Mathews is the most important player on the offense.
The Chargers ran for 57 yards on 12 carries thanks to Mathews' running ability, but they sputtered after he injured his leg. He was limited in the second half, in which the Chargers had a negative rushing total (minus-four yards on five carries).
While Mathews' injury didn’t look too severe, his health has always been a concern, and the Patriots' game did nothing to alleviate that. The Chargers are one-dimensional without Mathews, as backup Branden Oliver is playing like the undrafted rookie he is, and third-stringer Donald Brown has been a disaster.
No Mathews means defenses can focus more on the struggling Rivers. For an offense just trying to find its footing, that would lead to a quick and early playoff exit. He must stay healthy.
Lack of Defensive Depth
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Chargers fans collectively held their breath when star defensive end Corey Liuget appeared to injure his leg in the first half. He later returned to action, but the Chargers saw a horrifying glimpse of what the defense would look like without him.
During the brief time Liuget was off the field, the Patriots' running game absolutely gashed San Diego. Sean Lissemore, Kendall Reyes and Tenny Palepoi were the down linemen, and they were easily controlled.
Liuget’s absence emphasized the Chargers' top-heavy defense and the team’s lack of quality depth players. Offenses pick on virtually everyone besides Brandon Flowers and Eric Weddle in coverage. The defensive line offers no pass rush. The young linebackers are emerging—Manti Te’o and Melvin Ingram had good games—but Donald Butler still makes too many mistakes.
This lack of depth could hurt the Chargers come playoff time. If Liuget, Flowers or Weddle needs to take a few snaps off, the entire defense could collapse with no capable veterans or talented draft picks behind those three.
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The Offensive Line Is a Mess
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Every single starter on the offensive line needs work. The unit is dead last in run blocking and the sixth worst in pass protection in Pro Football Focus' team summaries (subscription required).
Rookie Chris Watt is the biggest culprit after last night's performance. Still adjusting to the center position, Watt had some nice moments until Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins beat him like a drum with interior blitzes. Rivers gave him an earful after one blown protection.
Guards Johnnie Troutman and Chad Rinehart would be best served as backups. Neither has been playing technically sound, and they don't have enough physical talent to justify the lumps. If there were any capable backups behind the two, they would have been starting by now.
Tackles King Dunlap and D.J. Fluker, the most accomplished on the line, aren't living up to their billing. Dunlap isn't holding up in pass protection, while Fluker has regressed since his promising rookie campaign. Speed rushers consistently beat them.
The line's struggles have gotten to Rivers. He is hurrying up more throws and has become less accurate down the field—he went 2-of-10 on passes traveling more than five yards downfield Sunday, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Defenses will have it easy if Rivers continues to be off his game.
Dominant AFC Competition
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Rivers has never beaten Tom Brady, whose Patriots will be the likely No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. New England's suffocating secondary played a big part in that—San Diego's offense mustered a measly seven points.
The Broncos, the likely No. 2 seed, haven't been kind to the Chargers, either. They topped them in the divisional round last season and soundly beat them 35-21 in Week 8 this season. Their defense and newfound running game give Denver an even higher ceiling.
Adding the Colts and Steelers into that mix, the high level of competition in the playoffs is a big concern for the Chargers. Even a massive leap in performance might not be enough against the top teams in the AFC—injuries have ravaged what could have been a potent offense. The defense has improved, but it still has weak points.
Right now, San Diego is looking like another one of the many AFC teams fighting for a wild-card spot—good but not good enough. The Broncos game next week will be a good chance for the Chargers to prove otherwise.
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