Los Angeles Times - 08.09.2019

D8 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2019 S LATIMES.COM/SPORTS

Chargers (12-4 in 2018)

vs. Indianapolis(10-6)

HOW THEY

MATCH UP

When Chargers

have the ball

Philip Rivers will open his 14th
season as the starting quarter-
back, but who’s absent in the
backfield could be the bigger
story, especially if the Chargers
struggle to run. Running back
Melvin Gordon remains away
from the team in a contract
dispute. Over the previous three
seasons, he gained 60% of the
Chargers’ yards rushing. Austin
Ekeler and Justin Jackson will
replace him as coach Anthony
Lynn attempts to emphasize a
tandem approach. Ekeler has
been a reliable complement to
Gordon the last two years, and
the Chargers really liked what
they saw from Jackson late last
season when injuries forced him
into the lineup. “If one guy goes
in the game and gets hot, you let
him ride,” Lynn said. “We’re
definitely going to play both
guys, but I can’t tell you who is
going to get how many touches
right now.” This game will mark
the healthy return of tight end
Hunter Henry, who missed all
but 14 snaps in the final playoff
game a year ago because of a
knee injury. If the Chargers’
retooled offensive line gives
Rivers time — Lynn called Colts
linebacker Darius Leonard “a
game-wrecker” — he and Hunt-
er could enjoy quite a reunion.

When Colts

have the ball

Speaking of who’s not in the
backfield, quarterback Andrew
Luck shocked the NFL last
month when he abruptly re-
tired, sending the Chargers
briefly into scramble mode to
find footage of Jacoby Brissett.
Defensive coordinator Gus
Bradley admitted that with a
late change at such a significant
position “there are some un-
knowns.” This will be Brissett’s
18th start, 15 coming in 2017, a
particularly brutal season for
Indianapolis. Those Colts fin-
ished 4-12, and Brissett was
sacked 10 times in one game and
eight in another. This would be a
good spot to mention that Char-
gers defensive end Joey Bosa
recently said he’s in the best
shape of his life. The Chargers,
however, have been quick to
mention that Indianapolis’
offensive line is vastly improved.
Bosa also likened Brissett’s
ability to throw with defenders
pawing at him to that of Ben
Roethlisberger. If Brissett goes
deep, he likely will be targeting
T.Y. Hilton, who has the Char-
gers’ attention. Cornerback
Casey Hayward last week was
quoting Hilton’s career stats.
Unlike the end of last season,
the Chargers will have a bunch
of healthy linebackers.

When they kick

The Colts’ Adam Vinatieri is the
NFL’s all-time leader in field
goals and points. He’s also 46,
making him one of the most
permanent things to hail from
South Dakota after Mt. Rush-
more. The Chargers also ap-
peared to be in a good place with
their kicker until Michael Badg-
ley (groin) showed up on the
injury list Friday with a forebod-
ing designation (questionable).
Unless Badgley makes a sudden
recovery, punter Ty Long, in his
NFL debut, also will kick. He
was successful doing both the
last two seasons in the CFL, but
Long missed two of three extra-
point tries in the preseason. The
Chargers also have a first-year
long snapper in Cole Mazza.

Jeff Miller’s

prediction

Both teams finished the 2018
season on a roll and won a play-
off game. Momentum probably
doesn’t carry over from eight
months ago but, perhaps late in
a close game, belief can be re-
captured. The Chargers have
some significant absences —
Gordon, left tackle Russell
Okung, safety Derwin James —
but still have their veteran
quarterback.

CHARGERS 20, INDIANAPOLIS 17

How Chargers and Colts offenses and defenses fared last season, with per-game averages and league ranking:

POINTS SCORED PTS ALLOWED

CHARGERS COLTS

26.8 (T6) 21.5 (10)

PTS ALLOWED POINTS SCORED

CHARGERS COLTS

20.6 (8) 21.3 (22)

PASS OFFENSE PASS DEFENSE

CHARGERS COLTS

255.6 (10) 237.8 (16)

RUSH OFFENSE RUSH DEFENSE

CHARGERS COLTS

117.1 (15) 101.6 (8)

TOTAL OFFENSE TOTAL DEFENSE

CHARGERS COLTS

372.6 (T16) 119.8 (21)

TOTAL DEFENSE TOTAL OFFENSE

CHARGERS COLTS

333.7 (9) 386.2 (7)

PASS DEFENSE PASS OFFENSE

CHARGERS COLTS

227.9 (9) 278.8 (6)

RUSH DEFENSE RUSH OFFENSE

CHARGERS COLTS

105.8 (9) 107.4 (20)

STATISTICAL COMPARISON

Every team starts Week 1 unde-

feated and thinking Super Bowl,

the players, like so many of the

fans, all in on fantasy football.

But the coach of the Chargers

played in the NFL, too, and under-

stands that even on bright and

sunny opening weekend there’s a

dark reality that hangs over this

world.

“Let’s be real,” Anthony Lynn

said. “There’s only one winner in

this league. That’s what I love

about the NFL. When it’s all said

and done, there are going to be 31

losers and one winner.

“It doesn’t matter if you lost in

the Super Bowl or didn’t make the

playoffs. If you’re not holding that

trophy, in my opinion, you didn’t

succeed. We look forward to pursu-

ing that opportunity. We look for-

ward to doing it together. That’s

the joy we all get, each and every

day.”

The chase for Lynn and the

Chargers begins at 1 p.m. Sunday

against Indianapolis at Dignity

Health Sports Park.

In their most recent game, they

were relegated to being losers by

the only team — by Lynn’s assess-

ment — that won in the 2018 sea-

son, the New England Patriots.

The Chargers were embar-

rassed that January day in Foxbor-

ough, Mass., falling behind by 31

points and tumbling from the divi-

sional round of the playoffs.

Now they’re back — healthier

but far from whole — and ready to

again seek the franchise’s first Su-

per Bowl title, in its 60th season of

existence.

“We wouldn’t be out here giving

100% effort every single day if we

didn’t believe we had a chance to

compete for a Super Bowl,” defen-

sive end Joey Bosa said. “And that’s

our goal ... anything less than that

is not good enough.”

The Chargers return most of

the roster that produced a 12-4

regular-season record and then

won only the franchise’s second

playoff game since 2008.

But who’s missing against the

Colts will be a story, as well. All-Pro

safety Derwin James (foot) and

two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Rus-

sell Okung (blood clots) are out.

Running back Melvin Gordon,

another two-time Pro Bowl selec-

tion, also will be absent as his con-

tract holdout reaches its 46th day.

And the Chargers likely will be

without Michael Badgley, who, as a

rookie a year ago, brought stability

to a kicking position that had

turned chaotic, almost comical. He

has a groin problem, his official

status listed as doubtful.

Still, the Chargers have talent

and depth. According to safety

Adrian Phillips, they have some-

thing else that’s important when

dealing with such uneven circum-

stances.

“It’s beyond just belief,” he said.

“We know the players that we have.

Everybody that lines up believes,

‘You put me in position to make the

play to win the game, I’m going to

make it.’

“We’ve got confidence in every-

body we line up out there. ‘Just do

what got you here. You were a

baller ever since you were a kid.

Just do what got you here and go

out and play.’ ”

The Chargers made a bunch of

plays when it mattered most last

season. They won five games de-

cided in the final minute — three on

defense, one on offense and one on

special teams.

The stressful success seemed to

build upon itself until the Chargers

reached a point where they simply

expected to seize the moments

that determined each weekly out-

come.

It was impressive and quite a

shift from recent history.

“My rookie year, we lost all those

games, all the close ones,” said run-

ning back Austin Ekeler, who’s en-

tering his third season. “That’s lit-

erally what separates the league —

who’s winning the close games.

That’s something we have to build

back up to. It’s a new season.”

In the Colts, the Chargers will

face an opponent that also finished

the 2018 regular season rolling and

then won a playoff game.

But Indianapolis already suf-

fered a significant and stunning

loss when franchise quarterback

Andrew Luck retired last month

because of health concerns.

As several of the Chargers

noted in recent days, that’s life in

the unrelenting NFL, where adver-

sity is always just a snap away and

the margin between success and

failure so often is goal-line thin.

“You don’t control winning in

this league,” Lynn said. “I really be-

lieve that. You control being at your

best. You control your attitude and

effort, your preparation. I think if

we all focus on that and not get dis-

tracted I like our chances.”

Lynn preaches to his players

the importance of the week of work

that precedes each game. He tells

them to go out on Sundays and just

play, trusting in the time they’ve in-

vested.

And, after nearly six weeks of

preparation, it all starts anew Sun-

day, when the Chargers begin to

find out whether they’re destined

to be winners or losers in 2019.

“We could have a better football

team this year and not as good a

record as last year,” Lynn said. “We

gotta come together and start

building all over again. We have to

keep things in perspective and do

everything we can to get to that

tournament.”

DEFENSIVE BACK Desmond King and the Chargers will try to improve on their 12-4 regular-season record from last season.

Gregory BullAssociated Press

Another chase begins for

elusive Super Bowl title

Chargers open the franchise’s 60th season today against the Colts

By Jeff Miller

NFL:WEEK 1

Injury report

Final injury reports for Sunday’s games in Week 1 of the NFL schedule were

submitted to the league office Friday:

COLTS:OUT — Defensive end Jabaal Sheard (knee), running back

Jonathan Williams (rib). QUESTIONABLE — Defensive end Kemoko Turay

(neck), running back Jordan Wilkins (ankle).

CHARGERS:OUT — Cornerback Trevor Williams (quadriceps).

DOUBTFUL — Linebacker Jatavis Brown (ankle), wide receiver Geremy

Davis (hamstring), safety Roderic Teamer (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE —

Kicker Michael Badgley (right groin), linebackers Denzel Perryman (ankle)

and Drue Tranquill (back).