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| Greg Gatson |
The San Diego Chargers got off to a good start by
beating the hated division rival Oakland Raiders in the season opener this past
Monday night. Still, San Diego possesses one extremely glaring weakness and a potential
disaster on the horizon that could make the team playoff-less for the third
straight season.
The 2006 season, during which LaDainian Tomlinson
had an MVP campaign, seems so long ago when one thinks about how poor the
Chargers’ run-blocking unit has been over the last handful of years. If the
first game of the 2012 season is any sign of what’s to come, then San Diego
quarterback Philip Rivers will have to carry the offense on his back once again.
Collectively, the Chargers’ running backs ran for an embarrassing 22 yards on 17
carries. Curtis Brinkley was the leading rusher, finishing the night with 12
yards on 10 carries. That output is just downright unacceptable.
Although the defense stepped up and showed a ton of
promise, the cornerback position, which was very thin on the depth chart to
begin with, took a major hit, as Quentin Jammer broke one of his hands and
Shareece Wright sprained an ankle. Jammer is expected to play this Sunday in
the home opener against Tennessee. How effective he’ll be is a huge question
mark. Wright, on the other hand, could be out this Sunday and perhaps the
ensuing weeks. That means the Chargers will likely pull undrafted rookie Greg
Gatson up from the practice squad. Gatson is listed at 5-11, 165 pounds. Yikes. If Wright isn’t able to make a quick
recovery, things could get real inauspicious for San Diego’s secondary.
As joyful as Monday night’s victory was, Chargers
fans should not relax. The run-blocking has to improve, and the cornerbacks
need to hold up. Let’s hope for a win against the Titans. 
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