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The Los Angeles Chargers rushing game has been dismal this season. Melvin Gordon held out to open the year, but he returned and even with Austin Ekeler alongside him, the ground game has struggled to get going. The running backs have had big games in the passing game, but the team entered Week 8 ranked 30th in rushing efficiency. 36 rushing yards against the Chicago Bears on Sunday will not improve that ranking.
On Monday, Chargers head Anthony Lynn made a change, firing offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt. He acknowledged blame did not belong to one person, but he felt a change was necessary. More or less par for the course for a team struggling like the Chargers.
The Chargers ground game has been pretty rough since Gordon’s return. Prior to the 36 yards, they have had games of 39, 32, and 35 total yards for the team. They’re the first team in the Super Bowl era to rush for under 40 yards in four straight games. That’s just unacceptable with the talent in the Chargers backfield. Injuries have been an issue all over the offense, but that’s just atrocious.
We might see a modest surge this week with a shake-up, but it might be as much about the opponent as anything else. The Chargers face a Green Bay Packers defense in Week 9 that is strong against the run but shaky on the ground. They might impress then, but it’s hard to see long term success the rest of this season.