San Diego Chargers 2016-17 NFL Team Preview

2016-2017 San Diego Chargers Preview

Key Additions: DE Joey Bosa, TE Hunter Henry, C Max Tuerk, ILB Joshua Perry, WR Travis Benjamin, G/C Matt Slauson, NT Brandon Mebane, CB Casey Hayward

Key Subtractions: S Eric Weddle, RB Donald Brown, TE Ladarius Green, DE/DT Kendall Reyes, ILB Donald Butler

Strengths

Philip Rivers is getting up there in age, but he’s still the undoubted strength of this Chargers team. The 34-year-old quarterback had another very good season in 2015. He completed 66 percent of his passes (7th in the NFL), and had a career-high 4,792 yards (2nd) with 29 touchdowns. It weren’t for Rivers, the Chargers would’ve sunk much lower than 4-12.

Rivers put up those huge numbers despite losing top receiver Keenan Allen for half of the season. Prior to getting injured, Allen was on pace for 130 catches and 1,400 yards. Allen will be back in 2016 to provide Rivers with his top target.

The Chargers lost Malcom Floyd and Ladarius Green in the offseason, but Rivers should still have one of the deeper stable of receivers in the league. Along with Allen, Danny Woodhead (the team’s top receiver with 755 yards and six TDs), Antonio Gates, Stevie Johnson, and Dontrelle Inman all return. Meanwhile, Travis Benjamin adds a new deep threat, and rookie tight end Hunter Henry is also very useful with his hands.

Weaknesses

Of course, Rivers needed to throw a career-high 661 times last season because he was getting absolutely nothing from his running game. Running back Melvin Gordon had a terrible rookie year. He had just 641 yards on 3.5 yards per carry with zero touchdowns. Rivers’ short passes to Woodhead became the Chargers’ de facto “running game.”

Gordon wasn’t helped by an offensive line that was perpetually banged up. The Chargers used 24 different line combinations in 2015, fourth-most in the NFL. Their two best linemen – left tackle King Dunlap and left guard Orlando Franklin – played a combined six games together as starters.

The Chargers hope that improved luck in terms of health, as well as the drafting of Max Tuerk and signing veteran center Matt Slauson, will alleviate those line problems this season.

The Chargers also looked to address a run defense which was 31st in DVOA last season by drafting Joey Bosa and Joshua Perry, and signing lineman Brandon Mebane. But safety will be a question mark now that Eric Weddle is gone as the last line of defense.

Key Player – Melvin Gordon

The Chargers took something of a gamble by drafting a running back at No. 15 overall last year. That gamble backfired in a big way as Gordon, the former Wisconsin standout, provided close to nothing in his rookie year. Gordon had 641 rushing yards in 2015; he had 813 yards over a remarkable three-game span in his junior year of college.

It remains to be seen if Gordon is in fact Trent Richardson 2.0. But one thing is for certain: the Chargers need significantly more production from their second-year running back for their +775 odds to win the AFC West to have any shot of paying out. The Chargers’ rushing offense was a miserable 31st per DVOA last year.

Key Game – vs. Denver (Oct. 13)

The Chargers are scheduled for just one primetime game this season: Week 6’s Thursday Night showdown with their AFC West rivals, the Denver Broncos. This matchup against the Broncos’ pass rush will be a big test for the Chargers and their under-fire O-line.

More importantly, it’s another chance for the Chargers to end their humiliating home losing skid against their division foes. The Chargers have lost five-straight games and six of the last seven against the Broncos in San Diego.

2015 Stats

Category | Stat (Rank)
Points per game | 20.0 (#26)
Passing yards per game | 286.9 (#4)
Rushing yards per game | 84.9 (#31)
Scoring defense | 24.9 (#21)

Writer’s Prediction

The Chargers are a bit healthier this season, but it isn’t enough to make them contenders in the division. San Diego goes under 7.0 regular season wins with a 6-10 mark.

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