Browns Stumbled In San Diego
By Joe Russo
Oct 4, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers running back
Danny Woodhead(39) runs the ball against the Cleveland Browns during the fourth quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
About The Chargers
Love him or hate him, Philip Rivers is still the guy in San Diego. Despite going only 23 of 38, he gained 358 yards and threw for 3 touchdowns. He was missing two big time targets in WRs Malcolm Floyd, Steve Johnson, and three starters on the offensive line.
That guy can still sling it and he leads that team like few quarterbacks across the league can. If you have to point to a reason why the Chargers pulled out a win, it’s Rivers’ leadership.
Maybe a close second to Rivers then is Woodhead. The diminutive back broke off a couple of big plays that broke the Browns defense. If there is anything a guy like Johnson can learn from watching is Woodhead, it is the way he plays the game and takes advantage of even the smallest holes in a defense.
There’s no reason Johnson can’t replicate that skill set in Cleveland, especially after the way Woodhead helped this depleted Chargers offense gut out a win.
The Chargers broke through in a couple of smaller ways today as well. Heading into the game, they did not have ANY punt return yards through three games. Allen finally got them on the board today with a five yard return in the 2nd quarter.
The San Diego defense had also only notched one sack all season, but apparently the right side of the Browns offensive line was exactly what they needed as they sacked McCown four times. LB Jeremiah Attaochu got to McCown twice and LB Melvin Ingram totaled a sack and a half.
Next: Sunday Superlatives