The Los Angeles Chargers have a new outlook on the 2024 season and it is far less bright than it was two weeks ago. After a 2-0 start, the Chargers have lost back-to-back games.
In those losses, the offense has been stagnant, able to score just 20 total points. It was clear that under Jim Harbaugh, this would be a team that would grind its opponents out rather than try and win in wild shootouts. In order to do that, the Chargers will have to lean on a successful rushing attack.
That rushing attack was successful in the first two weeks of the season. But in the two defeats, it's been a different story.
Los Angeles Chargers rushing stats in first four games
| Two Wins | Two Losses | ||
| Rushing Yards | 395 | 116 | |
| Yards Per Carry | 5.5 | 2.6 | |
| Touchdowns | 2 | 0 |
Those numbers are telling. The Chargers ran the ball 71 times in Weeks 1 and 2 and just 44 times in Weeks 3 and 4. It's clear that this team must get the running game going or things are going to go south quickly.
But the player who seems to be bogging the rushing attack down is Gus Edwards. On the season, Edwards has just 113 yards rushing on 38 attempts — a 3.0-yard average. His longest run on the year has gone for just 10 yards.
Through 4 weeks of the season, Gus Edwards has been charting as the 2nd worst RB in rushing yards per attempt above expectation and 2nd worst in % of his rushes that have gone over expectation, per Next Gen Stats. He was out-snapped by JK Dobbins 40 to 14 in week 4.
— Steven Haglund (@StevenIHaglund) September 30, 2024
In each of the first four games of the season, the Chargers have placed rookie running back Kimani Vidal on the inactive list. In other words, he's been a healthy scratch. This is something the team needs to consider a different approach with... like now.
Kimani Vidal needs to be on the field following bye week
The Chargers are reeling and are going through injuries to multiple players. The bye week is coming at the perfect time for the team and the rest is going to be critical. But during the week off, Jim Harbaugh needs to consider inserting some fresh legs into the lineup.
Vidal was a tremendous runner in college at Troy and that led to him being a sixth-round pick of the Chargers. He flashed his potential in the preseason and it's been curious that the team has not chosen to have him suit up for a game this season.
The Chargers' offense needs a jolt and Vidal could be just that. He needs to be part of the team's game plan when Week 6 rolls around against the Denver Broncos.
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