Chargers, Reich see glimmers in run game

With Ryan Mathews back last Sunday, the Chargers oiled up the run game.

San Diego’s 120 yards rushing was its best total in four games, and about double any of those other three.

A reliable ground assault this Sunday would serve numerous purposes, and that’s whether or not one believes Antonio Gates’ comment that Philip Rivers, the franchise quarterback, has been dealing with a “very severe” rib injury.

The Rams will bring a dangerous pass rush into Qualcomm Stadium.

Last week in St. Louis, the Rams knocked around Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. Also in the 22-7 victory, the Rams blasted several pass-catchers. A safety’s shot concussed one, receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

If Rivers is handing off to Mathews, Branden Oliver or Donald Brown, the Rams’ big fellas won’t have a chance to hit him. If the run threat is real, passes off run fakes work better. Run the ball, and pass-catchers’ lanes can broaden.

Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich has noticed that his big fellas, notably tackles King Dunlap and D.J. Fluker, are much larger than the Rams’ attackers.

So ramming into the Rams could have other benefits.

“Those pass-rushers have that great speed off the edge,” Reich said. “But where we have the advantage is, we’ve got size and strength on them at the tackle position.

“You can’t run 4.4 and be 350 pounds,” he said. “We’ve got to wear ’em out physically, but we also have to just be good fundamentally as well.”

Running the ball, the Chargers haven’t been so hot.

In yards per try (3.1), they’re next to last in the NFL.

The Rams (4-6) were mediocre against the run most of the season, but of late, their game film looks like San Diego’s freeways at rush hour.

The last three opponents have gained just 45 yards rushing, on average.

Said Chargers coach Mike McCoy: “Their ‘backers’ do a nice job of coming downhill and blowing thing up to wreak havoc in there, so the ball can’t get to where it’s supposed to go.”

The Chargers have other tools to tame a pass rush. Quick passes. Screens. Quick snaps.

Varying his snap count last Sunday, Rivers induced four presnap penalties from Raiders rushers.

Consistent blocking is a building block of a running game, though, and there the Chargers have been lacking.

“Our biggest problem is, we haven’t been doing the little things right,” said Dunlap, the left tackle.

In the three-game losing streak, they never cracked 70 yards rushing.

Mathews hit that number last week, gaining 4.4 per carry in his first game since Week 2, when he was carted off Jack Murphy Field with a knee sprain. Rookie Branden Oliver chipped in with 36 yards, and Eddie Royal went around end for a 15-yard gain.

Reich gleaned the breakout days earlier at Chargers Park, and not only because Mathews, powerful and fast, was practicing again.

“You could feel the attitude,” he said. “The intensity in practice during the week -- we feel like we’re on track for that again this week.”

Generally, Reich said he targets 25 carries and 125 yards rushing for a game.

The Chargers have beaten that benchmark in yardage only once, in Game 5 against the Jets.

Their percentage of run plays under Reich, a first-year coordinator, is down slightly (46. 7 to 43.7) from last year under Ken Whisenhunt. But despite the paltry average gain, the Chargers’ percentage of run plays is ninth in the NFL.

The Rams are smashing the run, having allowed only 28 yards rushing the last two games.