San Diego Chargers: Philip Rivers Having Another Year Wasted

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers has shown he can succeed in any situation, but even he may not be able to carry the team in 2016.

Philip Rivers is on pace to complete 362 of 528 attempts in 2016. His 68.7 completion percentage to this point is his second-highest of his storied career. He’s currently averaging 8.0 yards per attempt and still has yet to throw an interception.

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What’s amazing about those statistics is that they aren’t even the best that Rivers has put together. Only three games in and his impressive completion percentage, yards per attempt, and ability to keep the ball safe deserve praise. But he’s languishing on a San Diego Chargers team that can’t keep people healthy.

He could be putting up even more gaudy numbers in yards, touchdowns, and yards per completion if the team around him wasn’t deteriorating with each week. His play isn’t off the charts because his chart is almost unique in the NFL, especially with the injuries around him and the team’s general lack of competitiveness.

Rivers stands as a bulwark against the entire league knocking the Chargers completely out of the running. Even at 1-2 (only having beaten the 0-3 Jacksonville Jaguars), the Chargers can still threaten so long as Rivers is at quarterback.

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Each and every season, Rivers guts it out while the team fails to support his strong play. It’s a testament to his ability. Since he became starter in 2006, the Chargers have six winning seasons behind his arm. Moreover, there’s been only one season (2015) that wasn’t at .500 or 7-9. He keeps the Chargers in games and gives them a chance to win.

The Chargers were supposed to be as fired up as Rivers was about staying in San Diego (he said as much per Ricky Henne at the Chargers website). Instead, we’ve seen a lack of competitiveness that actually makes people overlook the destitute state of the roster and the injuries that have piled up.

There are 14 Chargers players on injured reserve. It isn’t just the no-names either. Key contributors on offense and defense like running back Danny Woodhead, wide receiver Keenan Allen, and linebacker Manti Te’o lead the way. Even the best of teams struggle to carry that kind of weight around their necks.

While the season is still young and there is still hope for the San Diego Chargers, this season continues to look like another waste of Philip Rivers and his talent. The injuries and general state of the roster may be too much for him to overcome, no matter how well he plays.

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With a likely shootout on the horizon in Week 4 against the New Orleans Saints, the Chargers will get a chance to see just how far Rivers can carry them. He has some support with running back Melvin Gordon, but it will mostly be the Rivers show. If he can manage to keep the Chargers moving forward, they may still have a shot. But the pressure and injuries are mounting.