| Andrew Perna. 17th October, 2008 - 2:03 pm
 The Chargers have had one of the NFL's most prolific offenses over the last five years, beginning with the 2004 season when they ranked third in points scored.
A good portion of the team’s offensive success can be attributed to the presence of LaDainian Tomlinson. In eight-plus seasons with San Diego, Tomlinson has rushed for 11,055 yards and 119 touchdowns. Never has L.T. tallied fewer than 1,200 yards or 10 touchdowns in a season.
However, this season – thanks to a toe injury and an above-average passing attack – Tomlinson is on pace for just 1,080 yards and eleven touchdowns. The former would be a career-low while the latter would be his lowest mark since 2001, his first season in the NFL.
Despite Tomlinson’s down year (he’s still tenth in rushing yards and tied for seventh in rushing scores), the Chargers lead the NFL in points scored through the season’s first six weeks.
So, how are they doing it?
Philip Rivers is not-so-quietly putting together his best season.
Rivers has 1,489 yards, 14 touchdowns and just four interceptions through his first six games. His completion percentage of 61.8 is slightly higher than it was two years ago (61.7) when he threw 460 times.
He’s on pace to throw 440 times in 2008, but that total would likely be higher if he weren’t so successful on his completions. He’s averaging an astounding 14.6 yards-per-completion this season, nearly three yards more than he had in the last two years.
His league-leading quarterback rating, 109.4, is twenty-seven points higher than it was last season (82.4) when he tossed for 3,152 yards, 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He’s on pace to be sacked just as much as he was in ’07, twenty-two times, but he is making the most of the time his offensive line is giving him.
While Tomlinson and backup Darren Sproles (139 yards), are getting their carries, Coach Norv Turner is calling more passing plays when the Chargers are in position to score.
It helps that Rivers is averaging so many yards-per-completion, but the numbers indicate that something more serious is going on in San Diego.
Chargers' Offensive Touchdowns Scored
Season: Pass TDs, Rush TDs, Ratio Pass/Rush
2008: 14, 4, 3.5 (actual)
2008: 37, 11, 3.5 (projected)
2007: 22, 19, 1.16
2006: 24, 32, 0.75
2005: 27, 22, 1.23
2004: 29, 24, 1.21
2003: 21, 16, 1.31
2002: 17, 19, 0.90
2001: 16, 13, 1.23
Could it be that Tomlinson has lost a step in his eighth year, and Turner is trying to disguise this with more focus on the passing game?
L.T. is on pace for 290 carries this season, twenty-five fewer than he had last year. He is also averaging a career-low in yards-per-game (67.5) and fewer yards-per-attempt (3.7) than he has since his rookie year (3.6).
Here is a look at how Tomlinson's production has decreased in each of the last three seasons:
L.T.'s Offensive Statistics
Season: Carries Per Game, Yards Per Carry, Yards Per Game, Rush TD Per Game
2008: 18.2, 3.7, 67.5, 0.67
2007: 19.7, 4.7, 92.1, 0.94
2006: 21.8, 5.2, 113.4, 1.75
Tomlinson has rushed 2,474 times (2,553 if you count the playoffs) in his career, which is good enough for 19th on the NFL’s all-time list. LaDainian, 29, will likely surpass Warrick Dunn, Ottis Anderson, Corey Dillon and Ricky Waters this fall, which would put him 15th heading into just his ninth season.
With that said, it's hard to determine whether his numbers are down because of general wear-and-tear on his body, or the significant knee and toe injuries he has dealt with over the last year.
Let’s not forget that by season’s end he’ll also likely have more rushing touchdowns than every player not named Emmitt Smith as he trails Marcus Allen by just four heading into Week Seven’s battle with the Bills.
San Diego may be relying on the pass more this season than they ever have since Tomlinson arrived in town, but having one of the greatest running backs of all-time on your roster never goes unnoticed.
Turner will call on Tomlinson when needed, like the forty times he rushed in the team’s last two wins, and rest him when possible, as he did when the Chargers trailed the Dolphins early and L.T. ran just twelve times in Week Five.
Either way, choosing between the powerful arm of Rivers or the strong legs of Tomlinson is a good problem for San Diego to have.
Andrew Perna is a Senior Writer for RealGM.com. Please feel free to contact him with comments or questions via e-mail – Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com. |
