Chargers - Bills Thoughts

Stop Antonio Gates and you stop the Chargers. That seemed to be what I was reading about the Bills game plan going in to this weeks match up with the Chargers. Gates recorded only 1 catch for 8 yards, but slot receiver Eddie Royal caught 2 TDs. I thought (and a lot of experts did also) that the Chargers would go more to a 2 TE set this year, but so far this season they've mostly gone 3-WR. Against the Bills, the Chargers went to the 2-TE formation enough for 2nd TE LaDarius Green to lead the team with 4 catches. Rivers also proved you can't just sit on the shallow routes...he hit Malcom Floyd for two 49 yarders that set up two scores.

On the Chargers 1st series Danny Woodhead was carted off the field. According to CBS Sports, Woodhead will undergo season-ending surgery. This after losing Ryan Mathews in Week 2. Whether the Chargers had plans to work Donald Brown more into the offense or not, he is now going to be main ball carrier for San Diego. Behind Brown is undrafted free agent Branden Oliver. At 5'7", 208 lbs., Oliver is built a lot like Woodhead,, but is more a one-cut, between the tackles runner. He's a good pass blocker, but hasn't shown good receiving skills. I think he's a good backup for Brown, but he's not going to replace Woodhead's skill set. I expect the Chargers to go after someone to add depth at RB, but the question is who?

Brown gained just 62 yards on 31 carries against the Bills. I know that Buffalo's front seven is stout, but 2.0 yards per carry is pretty pathetic. Hopefully it was just an off game for Brown, who still was productive, catching 5 for 27 yards to finish with 89 total yards from scrimmage. No way Brown, who had never had more that 18 carries in a game, will see 31 carries again this season. With a week of practice, the Chargers will utilize Oliver more.

Thought the offense got too conservative after they went up 20-10. Luckily the defense stepped up and shut Buffalo out in the 4th quarter. They put good pressure on EJ Manual getting a sack and a safety on an intentional grounding call. I thought the Chargers might have trouble containing Manual with Melvin Ingram out, but Dwight Freeney, Kendell Ruiz, and Corey Luiget each recorded a sack.

Last season, the Chargers were giving up 100 yard receiving games to wide receivers almost every week. So far this season they've held Sammy Watkins to 2 catches 19 yards and Percy Harvin to 1 catch 15 yds (leading receivers: Buffalo - CJ Spllier 3-37, Seattle - Jermaine Kearse 4-61) They did give up 5-119 to Michael Floyd in Week 1, but shut out Larry Fitzgerald. Overall, I would say that's an improvement over last year.

Up coming is a stretch of very winnable games for the Chargers (Jaguars, Jets, @Oakland, Chiefs) all ahead of the first match up against the Broncos in Denver. Chargers were very erratic last year because they very dependent on the offense to hold the ball to protect a very suspect defense. While this years' defense has been better, I don't know if they're good enough to win games yet. Charger fans will have a month of football to find out.