Los Angeles Chargers: Three keys to get past the Baltimore Ravens
By Jason Reed
1. Get the running game going with Melvin Gordon
The Los Angeles Chargers are not going to outrun the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are the most prominent running team in the NFL and live and die by the run, even with their quarterback, Lamar Jackson.
However, the Los Angeles Chargers are no slouches in the running game, either. Leading the way for the Chargers is Melvin Gordon, who is easily a top-five running back when he is healthy and was performing like the third-best running back in the league prior to getting injured.
Gordon missed three weeks with an MCL sprain that he suffered against the Arizona Cardinals and made his return to action in Week 16 against the Ravens. While Gordon had a touchdown, he visibly was not 100 percent and was even held out of the last drive until Antonio Gates fumbled.
Gordon still is not 100 percent as he is dealing with an ankle injury but he should be as close to 100 percent as he has been in two months. With that in mind, head coach Anthony Lynn has to be more comfortable in feeding Gordon the ball and getting the running game going.
Gordon only carried the ball 12 times in defeat and actually has not carried the ball 20 times this season. While the Gordon does not need to carry it 20 times, Gordon needs to get called on more to get the Ravens to respect the run.
In the first matchup, the Chargers threw the ball so frequently that the Ravens could bank on bringing the rush to the pocket and Philip Rivers.