- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
7 to watch: Rams at Chargers
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_a62ec144-0ab6-5100-aa28-be1239ac884e.html
RIVERS BATTLES RIB AILMENT
If you’re San Diego QB Philip Rivers, this probably isn’t the best time to be facing a Rams pass rush that has been breathing fire recently. After the Chargers’ 13-6 victory last weekend over Oakland, TE Antonio Gates said Rivers had been dealing with a “very severe” rib injury for the last three or four weeks. Rivers was in visible pain after taking hits during that game, and on more than one occasion was checked out by the Chargers’ medical staff on the sidelines. For the first time since the 2007 AFC title game, Rivers showed up on the San Diego injury report this week with a “chest” injury. He had full participation in practice all week, but as a formality was listed as probable on Friday. But this is one tough QB. He has made 138 consecutive starts, second only to Eli Manning of the New York Giants among active NFL passers. Manning’s streak is at 161.
IN A RUT
Maybe it’s related to those sore ribs, and the absence of injured RB Ryan Mathews didn’t help either. But the Chargers’ offense has been stuck in neutral for the past month. Mentioned as an MVP candidate during San Diego’s 5-1 start, Rivers’ passer rating has been only 76.0 over the past four contests — according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Three of those games were losses. The Chargers have averaged only 13.5 points and 259 yards per game in that span.
GATES STILL OPEN
Although his statistics (38 catches, 477 yards) are down a bit from last year, at age 34 Gates hasn’t forgotten how to reach the end zone. He has nine touchdown catches this season, already his high total since 2010. He’s four TDs away from becoming the ninth player in NFL history with 100 TDs. “Antonio’s really good at feeling zone defenses in the red zone,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “He can get to seams and to holes. He’s got really strong hands if the ball’s there.”
THE OTHER GUYS
Rivers has lots of options in the passing game. Second-year pro Keenan Allen, who paid a pre-draft visit to the Rams in 2013, is averaging only 9.8 yards per catch this season — down 5 yards from his 14.7 average as a rookie. But he’s a good route runner who gets in and out of breaks quickly on a long frame (6 feet 2, 211 pounds). Nine-year pro Malcom Floyd never has had 1,000 yards or more than 56 catches in a season, but this big target (6-5, 225) is a big-play threat.
RYAN’S RETURN
After missing seven games because of a right knee injury, Mathews brought some much-needed spark to the Chargers’ running game with 70 yards in 16 carries last week against Oakland. After gaining no more than 69 yards rushing as a team in any of their three previous games, the Chargers piled up 120 vs. the Raiders. Mathews (6-0, 220) combines inside power with outside speed in a running attack that shows a lot of draw plays and zone runs on film.
INTERIOR OPPORTUNITIES?
Center Rich Ohrnberger hasn’t been able to finish the Chargers’ past two games because of injuries, and he began the week in a protective boot because of an ankle injury. After not practicing all week he’s listed as questionable. If Ohrnberger can’t go, the Chargers could be starting their fourth center of the season in rookie Chris Watt, a guard by trade. Aaron Donald, that’s your cue. Donald has 13 tackles for loss this season, along with four sacks.
PRESSURE DEFENSE
The San Diego defense doesn’t have a ton of sacks (17) and no one on the squad has more than 2½. Slowed by a knee issue earlier in the season, former Indy star Dwight Freeney has only two sacks and hasn’t been much of a factor lately. But under defensive coordinator John Pagano, the Chargers do bring a lot of blitzes and present them in a lot of different packages. “There’s some similarities with what Arizona does,” Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said.
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_a62ec144-0ab6-5100-aa28-be1239ac884e.html
RIVERS BATTLES RIB AILMENT
If you’re San Diego QB Philip Rivers, this probably isn’t the best time to be facing a Rams pass rush that has been breathing fire recently. After the Chargers’ 13-6 victory last weekend over Oakland, TE Antonio Gates said Rivers had been dealing with a “very severe” rib injury for the last three or four weeks. Rivers was in visible pain after taking hits during that game, and on more than one occasion was checked out by the Chargers’ medical staff on the sidelines. For the first time since the 2007 AFC title game, Rivers showed up on the San Diego injury report this week with a “chest” injury. He had full participation in practice all week, but as a formality was listed as probable on Friday. But this is one tough QB. He has made 138 consecutive starts, second only to Eli Manning of the New York Giants among active NFL passers. Manning’s streak is at 161.
IN A RUT
Maybe it’s related to those sore ribs, and the absence of injured RB Ryan Mathews didn’t help either. But the Chargers’ offense has been stuck in neutral for the past month. Mentioned as an MVP candidate during San Diego’s 5-1 start, Rivers’ passer rating has been only 76.0 over the past four contests — according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Three of those games were losses. The Chargers have averaged only 13.5 points and 259 yards per game in that span.
GATES STILL OPEN
Although his statistics (38 catches, 477 yards) are down a bit from last year, at age 34 Gates hasn’t forgotten how to reach the end zone. He has nine touchdown catches this season, already his high total since 2010. He’s four TDs away from becoming the ninth player in NFL history with 100 TDs. “Antonio’s really good at feeling zone defenses in the red zone,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “He can get to seams and to holes. He’s got really strong hands if the ball’s there.”
THE OTHER GUYS
Rivers has lots of options in the passing game. Second-year pro Keenan Allen, who paid a pre-draft visit to the Rams in 2013, is averaging only 9.8 yards per catch this season — down 5 yards from his 14.7 average as a rookie. But he’s a good route runner who gets in and out of breaks quickly on a long frame (6 feet 2, 211 pounds). Nine-year pro Malcom Floyd never has had 1,000 yards or more than 56 catches in a season, but this big target (6-5, 225) is a big-play threat.
RYAN’S RETURN
After missing seven games because of a right knee injury, Mathews brought some much-needed spark to the Chargers’ running game with 70 yards in 16 carries last week against Oakland. After gaining no more than 69 yards rushing as a team in any of their three previous games, the Chargers piled up 120 vs. the Raiders. Mathews (6-0, 220) combines inside power with outside speed in a running attack that shows a lot of draw plays and zone runs on film.
INTERIOR OPPORTUNITIES?
Center Rich Ohrnberger hasn’t been able to finish the Chargers’ past two games because of injuries, and he began the week in a protective boot because of an ankle injury. After not practicing all week he’s listed as questionable. If Ohrnberger can’t go, the Chargers could be starting their fourth center of the season in rookie Chris Watt, a guard by trade. Aaron Donald, that’s your cue. Donald has 13 tackles for loss this season, along with four sacks.
PRESSURE DEFENSE
The San Diego defense doesn’t have a ton of sacks (17) and no one on the squad has more than 2½. Slowed by a knee issue earlier in the season, former Indy star Dwight Freeney has only two sacks and hasn’t been much of a factor lately. But under defensive coordinator John Pagano, the Chargers do bring a lot of blitzes and present them in a lot of different packages. “There’s some similarities with what Arizona does,” Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said.