Los Angeles Chargers: Why has Philip Rivers been ineffective this season?

Philip Rivers has been the starting quarterback of the Los Angeles Chargers since 2006 but is on the verge of losing that starting job.

The Los Angeles Chargers have had such a tough season this year as they are 4-8 on their season. All of their losses have been by eight points or less. It could be easy to pinpoint their losses on the defense, but one culprit they should be looking at is their quarterback Philip Rivers.

Compared to his 2018 stats, Rivers has been worse this year than last. He has already more interceptions (15) in 12 games this year than all of last year (12) in 16 games. Furthermore, he has more fumbles (4) this year, than last year as he had only one.

Rivers is the definition of an old school QB who stays in the pocket and barely moves. Because of this, when the offensive line crumbles Rivers usually goes down.

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This can be seen as he already has been sacked 26 times in 12 games this year compared to 32 in 12 games last year.

With Rivers getting older, he has not shown much ability to adapt to the game as the years have gone by. Last year, Rivers was still able to get around being purely a pocket passer.

However, teams going against the Chargers this year have noticed that if you bring enough pressure towards Rivers, he will either force a throw downfield that can be picked, will get sacked, or he will simply throw it away.

A knack against Rivers most of his career and especially this year is that he refuses to use his legs to extend plays as well as in goal-line situations.

One of the most evident times of this is when the Chargers faced the Titans and they were on the one-yard line in a position to win a game with a touchdown. Instead of taking the ball himself and sneaking it in for a touchdown, Rivers handed the ball off to Melvin Gordon and he promptly fumbled it and the Chargers lost the game.

Rivers has failed to adapt to today’s QB as just about all of them have realized that you need to be able to scramble and extend plays if needed with your legs in order to get your team the win. Rivers has cost his squad a couple of games this year with his costly interceptions, fumbles, and sacks taken.

Compared to last year when the Los Angeles Chargers went 12-4, Rivers timely mistakes cost his team games and in essence a shot at making the playoffs this season.