30-year old QB Philip Rivers’ play was a big reason that the Chargers finished 8-8 this year and missed the playoffs.  Rivers played in 16 games (all starts) for the Chargers last year and he completed 366 of 582 passes (62.9%) for 4,624 yards with 27 TD passes and 20 INTs (88.7 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 26 times for 36 yards (1.4 ypc) with 1 TD run last night.  Rivers has now played in 100 games (96 starts) in his career with the Chargers and he has completed 1,930 of 3,037 passes (63.5%) for 24,285 yards with 163 TD passes and 78 INTs (95.5 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 194 times for 298 yards (1.5 ypc) with 3 TD runs in his NFL career.  Rivers is now 63-33 (65.6%) as the Chargers’ starting QB during the regular season.  I look for Rivers to bounce back big time in 2012 for the Chargers.

30-year old QB Philip Rivers is suddenly red hot for the San Diego Chargers.  Rivers has completed 46 of 61 passes (75.4%) for 534 yards with 6 TD passes and 0 INTs in his last two games.  The Chargers have scored 75 points in those two games, winning them both.  Rivers has now played in 13 games for the Chargers so far this year and he has completed 302 of 480 passes (62.9%) for 3,745 yards with 22 TD passes and 17 INTs (87.5 QB Rating).  Rivers also has carried the ball 23 times for 39 yards (1.7 ypc) with 1 TD run this year.  The Chargers need Rivers to keep playing well the last three weeks of the season if they are going to have any hope of getting back to the playoffs this year.

24-year old RB Ryan Mathews is really picking up the pace lately.  In Mathews’ last two games, he has carried the ball 35 times for 249 yards (7.1 ypc) with 1 TD run and he also caught 4 passes for 7 yards (1.8 avg).  Mathews has now played in 11 games for the Chargers so far this year and he has carried the ball 165 times for 829 yards (5.0 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  He also has caught 39 passes for 386 yards (9.9 avg) so far this season.  Mathews has now played in 23 games in his first two years with the Chargers and he has carried the ball 323 times for 1,507 yards (4.7 ypc) with 11 TD carries.  He has also caught 61 passes for 531 yards (8.7 avg) in his first two years.  Mathews is starting to gain traction over Mike Tolbert as the main back for the Chargers.

The Chargers rewarded 26-year old safety Eric Weddle with a nice contract extension after the lockout was lifted and he is repaying the team for their confidence in him so far this year.  Weddle has played in 9 games for the Chargers so far this year and he has 53 tackles, 5 interceptions, 6 passes defensed and 1 tackle for a loss.  He has now played in 69 games in his first five years with the Chargers and he has 411 tackles, 11 interceptions (2 returned for TDs), 34 passes defensed, 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery and 13 tackles for a loss.  The Chargers need Weddle to keep up the good work as he is the best defensive player on the team right now.

The San Diego Chargers’ RBs have really stepped up their games so far in 2011.  Second year RB Ryan Mathews has carried the ball 85 times for 413 yards (4.9 ypc) with 3 TD runs in his first five games this year.  He has also caught 20 passes for 261 yards (13.1 avg) so far this year as he has helped make up for the fact that the Chargers haven’t had TE Antonio Gates most of this year.  Mike Tolbert has also been really busy so far this year.  He has carried the ball 36 times for 105 yards (2.9 ypc) with 2 TD runs in his first five games of 2011.  Tolbert has also caught 28 passes for 231 yards (8.3 avg) with 2 TD grabs this season.  Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert are averaging 202.0 yards from scrimmage per game so far this year, and that is truly amazing.  Fullback Jacob Hester also serves as the #3 RB for the Chargers.  He has played in all five games for the Chargers so far this year and he has carried the ball 14 times for 60 yards (4.3 ypc).  He has also caught 6 passes for 28 yards (4.7 avg) this year.  The Chargers are probably going to pass a little more with Antonio Gates back, but they are still going to get the ball in Mathews’ and Tolbert’s hands a lot going forward.

23-year old Ryan Mathews and 25-year old Mike Tolbert have both been outstanding this year as they have provided the Chargers with a decent running game, while really making a huge impact in the passing game!  Mathews has played in all four games for the Chargers so far this year and he has carried the ball 61 times for 288 yards (4.7 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  He has also caught 19 passes for 254 yards (13.4 avg) so far this year.  Mike Tolbert has also played in all four games for the Chargers so far this year.  He has carried the ball 31 times for 81 yards (2.6 ypc) with 2 TD runs and he has also caught 25 passes for 206 yards (8.2 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Philip Rivers has completed 44 of 54 passes (81.5%) to Tolbert and Mathews so far this year, good for 460 yards.  Rivers is going to the RBs a lot more with TE Antonio Gates out due to injury.  Tolbert & Mathews are averaging 207.3 yards rushing and receiving per game for the Chargers so far this year.  They need them to keep up the good work.

The Chargers traded up to pick 23-year old RB Ryan Mathews in the 2010 NFL Draft, but his rookie season didn’t go as well as planned.  He played in 12 games for the Chargers last year and he carried the ball 158 times for 678 yards (4.3 ypc) with 7 TD runs.  He also caught 22 passes for 145 yards (6.6 avg) last year.  This year though, Mathews is running the ball and catching it a lot better.  He has played in all 3 games for the Chargers so far this year and he has carried the ball 45 times for 207 yards (4.6 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  Mathews has also already caught 14 passes for 186 yards (13.3 avg) so far this year.  He is starting to take over at RB for the Chargers.

31-year old starting TE Antonio Gates might elect to sit out the next 3-5 weeks due to his foot injury.  He has played in 2 games for the Chargers so far this year and he has caught 8 passes for 74 yards (9.3 avg).  32-year old Randy McMichael will continue to start at TE until Gates is ready to return to action.  McMichael has played in all three games for the Chargers so far this year and he has caught 8 passes for 77 yards (9.6 avg).  The Chargers know that McMichael is a solid receiver but they are going to miss Antonio Gates, who is one of the very best TEs in all of football.

29-year old QB Philip Rivers is off to a good start for the Chargers so far this year.  He has played in both of the Chargers games so far this year and he has completed 62 of 88 passes (70.5%) for 713 yards with 4 TD passes and 4 INTs (90.8 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 5 times for 9 yards (1.8 ypc) so far this year.  Rivers will need to cut down on his pickoffs and I think he will do that starting this weekend against the woeful Kansas City Chiefs.

30-year old punter Mike Scrifes really stepped up for the Chargers last weekend against the Vikings and he was a big key to victory.  Kicker Nate Kaeding went down to injury early in this game, so Mike Scrifes did all the punting and kicking from that point on.  He made his only field goal attempt (40-yarder) and all three of his extra points, good for 6 points.  He also punted the ball 3 times for 127 yards (42.3 avg) without any touchbacks, while also pinning the Vikings inside their own 20-yard line one time.