Introduction
The Los Angeles Chargers beat their division rival the Oakland Raiders 26-10 this past Sunday. The Chargers played well on both sides of the ball, keeping the Raiders to only 10 points a week after they put up 45 last week. Philip Rivers, Melvin Gordon, Melvin Ingram, Keenan Allen, and Austin Ekeler continue to fill up the stat sheet, but it was several other players that had a key impact on the game.
Unsung Hero’s
With the Chargers Pro-Bowl cornerback, Jason Verret, out for the season they needed someone to step up this year. That someone has been second year player Michael Davis. He was put in this week after Jatavis Brown left with an injury. Yes, another injury for the Chargers, a reoccurring theme for them each year. Davis has taken his game to the next level this year, putting his 6-3 frame to work. He finished the game with only one tackle, but he did a good job shutting down the receivers opposite to him. In addition to Davis, Isaac Rochell made himself known recording his first sack of the year. He also had two tackles and an QB hit.
On the offensive side of the ball the Chargers were missing both of their tackles, Joe Barksdale and Russell Okung. They were replaced by Sam Tevi and Trent Scott. Tevi has started the past couple of games at right tackle but was switched over to the left to make Scott feel more comfortable. Scott is an undrafted free agent who was promoted from the practice squad and made his first start. These players are proving just how deep and well rounded the Chargers are this year.
Recap
The Chargers started the game off with a field goal from Caleb Sturgis on their first drive, but after that their offense slowed down. The Raiders tied the game with a 24-yd field goal by Matt McCrane in the second quarter. The Chargers finally got their offense rolling with 4 minutes left before halftime, when Austin Ekeler caught a 44-yd TD pass from Philip Rivers. After showing his versatility on a 34-yd catch, Melvin Gordon slammed in a 1-yd run to put the Chargers up 17-3 right before half. In the second half, the Chargers made a field goal and a 13-yd TD from Rivers to Virgil Green on a screen-pass to put the game out of reach.
Up Next
The Chargers face the Cleveland Browns next week, so it should be an easy win! The Chargers still should go in to this week prepared and ready to play. The Browns are riding a two-game winning streak and have a young gunner, Baker Mayfield, who is showing potential to become the Browns best QB in a while. Thank you for reading and get ready for a fun math-up next week!
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