Los Angeles Rams vs. Los Angeles Chargers: Running backs

The Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers are set for the first regular season matchup as two LA teams. With your help, we break down each position.

The Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers are set to square off in what should be the most entertaining NFL game of Week 3.

Both teams are filled with talent on both sides of the ball and both could be involved in the final four teams in the postseason. This Week 3 LA match up really could be a Super Bowl preview. While the NFC and AFC do yield some good teams, either of these teams can beat any other team.

Both sides are also so talented that either team can realistically walk out with the victory. While the Rams have dominated to a 2-0 record, the team has also had two cupcake games in the Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals.

The Los Angeles Chargers could have beaten the Kansas City Chiefs but beat themselves and walked away with an easy win over the Buffalo Bills. Week 3 is the toughest game for either team thus far and might be the Chargers toughest game all year.

As part of the anticipation for this matchup, we are going to be breaking down each team against each other in several areas of the roster — starting with the running backs.

Los Angeles Rams:

The Los Angeles Rams have the obvious advantage when glaring over the surface. The leading back for the Los Angeles Rams happens to be Todd Gurley, who broke 2,000 yards from scrimmage last season and should flirt with that total again this year.

After two games, Gurley has 219 yards from scrimmage, which does put him on pace to finish below the 2,000 mark. However, it is still early and neither game was a huge breakout game from Gurley.

The Rams do have talented backs behind Gurley as well. Malcolm Brown is a fine backup and Justin Davis is a decent option.

Fourth-string running back John Kelly really thrived in the offseason and is one of the more talented sleeper backs in the league. However, he has had no role in two games this season so his value as a back is small.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers are not as far back as some may think from the Los Angeles Rams in the running back department.

Melvin Gordon has been connected to Gurley his entire career as he was the second running back taken in the 2015 NFL Draft behind Gurley. Gordon has not had as much success as Gurley, however, he has shown he can be an elite back and has been as good as Gurley thus far.

Gordon has 232 yards from scrimmage opposed to Gurley’s 219 and has three combined touchdowns (all scored in Week 3) which is just shy of Gurley’s four.

Behind Gordon though is a more talented backup than the Rams have in Brown. The Chargers have Austin Ekeler as the primary backup, who has played a significant role thus far in the season. Ekeler is better than any of the Rams’ backups as he is a threat in both the passing and running game.

The case could be made for the Los Angeles Chargers over the Los Angeles Rams and I would not refute it. However, until Gordon reaches the potential that Gurley has already showcased, it is hard to make the argument that a back up pushes the Chargers over the edge.

So, while I think it is much closer than most people may think, I do think the Los Angeles Rams have the better running backs.

What do YOU think? You can share your opinion on the twitter poll above.