Chargers blockers mauled Rams
The heat was on Chargers blockers.
“It’s ugly for us all day because we do all the dirty work,” King Dunlap quipped.
It was a lot easier to smile Sunday than after some of the line’s other recent showings. Chargers blockers mauled the pass-oriented Rams in the run game. Blocking draws, zone rushes and also screens, it was their best work of the season, I thought. All five Chargers linemen won for a trio of running backs led by Ryan Mathews, who gained a career high 8.8 yards per carry en route to 105 yards.
“It’s good, having Ryan back and running the ball like that,” Dunlap said after the 27-24 victory.
It’s far from a coincidence that, since Mathews returned, the Chargers have rolled to their second- and third-highest rush-yardage totals of the season.
I’ve never seen Mathews get up to speed faster than Sunday. He was sudden.
With Mathews, the Chargers (7-4) are more dangerous.
But Dunlap said the success owed to more than the back’s return.
“We’ve been working hard,” the left tackle said. “It isn’t something we just started doing this week. We’ve been working very hard at this since the beginning of the season. We finally got it clicking. Hopefully, we can keep it rolling.”
San Diego’s stampede wasn’t complicated.
Keeping their safeties deep, the Rams (4-7) went light in the tackling box. Chargers linemen won on double teams and solo blocks. They got upfield, onto linebackers. Mathews took good angles and zoomed through holes. He beat linebackers and safeties to the spot, turning what used to be nice gains into big chunks.
The draw play was lethal. Drawing Rams rushers in, Chargers blockers then turned them aside and rode them out to pasture. Four draws yielded 15.3 yards a pop.
It wasn’t just the line that threw a block party. Ladarius Green, Keenan Allen, Eddie Royal and Antonio Gates had key blocks.
Playcaller Frank Reich’s heavy use of three-wide receiver sets dovetailed with the draw’s success. The Rams geared up to stop the pass.
The Rams’ lack of bulk was evident. Their defense is built on speed and more dangerous in the St. Louis dome, where it swarmed the Broncos two games ago, 22-7.
For Chargers linemen, it was a rewarding afternoon. They sputtered in recent losses. Hits on Philip Rivers raised concerns. A perfect storm of elite, healthy opposition created extra stress. All the while, the blockers continued to toil behind the scenes. Line coach Joe D’Alessandris reminded them: it’s a long season; keep chipping away.
Dunlap said the line still needs to improve off Sunday’s showing. He’s right. The rushing task likely will toughen next Sunday at Baltimore. The Ravens are stouter than the Rams up front.
Chargers v. Rams 11/23/2014
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