Chargers vs Broncos: Three reasons LA will lose in Denver

Melvin Gordon is a hit or miss

If we’re talking about running backs that have tons of potential but even more to prove before then, Melvin Gordon has to be in that conversation. Entering his third season with the Chargers, Gordon has shown flashes of what he’s capable of, but hasn’t been able to capitalize on it.

For instance, he played 13 games in his rookie season, running on 184 overall attempts. Despite those touches, Gordon didn’t find the end zone a single time. Also, he ran for only 641 yards and had five fumbles.

Not the best way to enter the league, but his second season was a completely different story.

In just one more game than his rookie year, Gordon scored 10 times and ran for 997 yards on 70 more touches. He also only fumbled twice last season, but that only matters on paper now.

There is no bigger x-factor in this game than the run game of Melvin Gordon. Either he will be what helps save the Chargers from falling apart or he will be the reason for their downfall. Unfortunately for the team, there is no in-between.

We already know what Philip Rivers can do, and his passing arsenal isn’t a bad bunch of guys either. However, if the run game is non-existent or worse and Gordon is fumbling all over the place, the Chargers will have plenty of pieces to pick up after being picked apart.

Next: It's Time To Worry About The Dodgers

Prediction: Chargers 13, Broncos 18