Los Angeles Chargers: Studs and duds vs. Vikings in Week 15

Dud: Melvin Gordon

Have both Melvin Gordon and Chargers running game as a whole gotten better since the firing of Ken Whisenhunt? Sure, but Gordon demonstrated on Sunday that he is still prone to making mistakes nonetheless.

Accounting for two of the Chargers’ seven turnovers, it simply wasn’t Gordon’s day. After running for seven yards on the first play of LA’s second drive of the game, Gordon fumbled on the next play after being tackled by defensive end Danielle Hunter. Fortunately, while the Vikings were near the Chargers’ end zone, the defense held them to only three points.

Gordon yet again at the start of the third quarter. Catching a short pass, Gordon got stripped of the ball by defensive tackle Shamar Stephen. He was benched shortly afterward. Week by week, it seems more and more likely that this will be Gordon’s last season with the Chargers.

Dud: Philip Rivers

Gordon isn’t the only one turning over the ball, however.

If anything, it seems as though no one in the entire league is turning the ball over more than Philip Rivers, who finished the game with 307 yards and a touchdown pass. Intercepted three times by the Vikings, he also lost a fumble which was returned for a 55-yard touchdown by defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo. It’s as though he’s taking a page from Jameis Winston’s book.

Although Rivers has shown that he still possesses the arm strength to make good throws, it doesn’t mean anything if he can’t complete them to his receivers. The primary reason for these interceptions, as it’s been the case throughout the season, is due to Rivers’ constantly making reckless throws without much thought to his receivers, resulting in easy interceptions by opposing defenders.

With 12 interceptions in his last five games, we wouldn’t be surprised to see head coach Anthony Lynn make a switch at the quarterback position.