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San Diego Chargers Wish List: Week 2

The Chargers came out of the gate strong in week one, but could not finish. There was definitely plenty to be excited about, but there is also plenty left to be desired. Here are a few things I would like to see not only in week two, but also for the rest of the season.

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More Ryan Mathews

I get it. Ryan Mathews is a fumbler, he's made of glass, so on and so forth. He is also the team's most talented running back. He played only 20 snaps to Ronnie Brown's 25 against the Houston Texans, and I'm not okay with that. On a team that lacks talent or depth at basically every position, Mathews stands out as one of the team's best playmakers. While he is healthy, the Bolts need to feed him the ball early and often and live with the occasional fumble.

More Ladarius Green

John Phillips was brought in as a dual threat tight end, someone who is a reliable receiver, but is also a dependable blocker. Well guess what, he is not a dependable blocker. He posted a -1.0 run blocking grade in the preseason according to Pro Football Focus and had a -1.5 grade in the season opener. Why not give his snaps to Ladarius Green? Green will probably be about an equal blocker with much more upside in the passing game. He has the ability to stretch the field, and his size and speed makes him a mismatch for just about any defender.

Run to the Right!

San Diego drafted right tackle D.J. Fluker, one of the draft's best run blockers, in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. In week one, the Chargers ran a total of six running plays to the right of the center, and only four outside the guard. It's no surprise they totaled 62 rushing yards outside of Philip Rivers' scramble. I understand they don't want to become predictable, and probably didn't want to run at J.J. Watt, but Fluker is their best run-blocking offensive lineman. The bolts drafted him for a reason, and now it's time to use him the right way.

Somebody Cover Somebody

Shareece Wright allowed 7 of his 10 targets to be completed for 73 yards. Derek Cox allowed 7 out of 9 for 100 yards. New Charger Richard Marshall allowed 5 out of 6 targets for 78 yards. Bront Bird was only targeted three times, but all three passes were completed, and two went for touchdowns. Manti Te'o coming back (if he ever does) may help the last one, but this secondary is desperate for someone to step up.

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