Are These The Last Days of 24 in San Diego?

Twenty three carries. That's how many rushing attempts it took Ryan Mathews to find his way back to his familiar spot on the sidelines. Mathews was injured in the Chargers week two home win against Seattle. With only Donald Brown and Branden Oliver to carry the load most of the season, the Chargers fell one game short of the playoffs. This is a pattern that is all too familiar when it comes to Ryan Mathews and it is time for a change for the betterment of the team.

Loyal BoltBlitz followers who read my columns know I am not a fan of 24. The Chargers are the one team I live and die for in all of sports and like all of you, I support my team to the fullest. Before my team loyalty is called into question, I'm sure there are players on our beloved team we have all disliked and did a happy dance when they were shown the door. Jared Gaither anyone? Larry English? Robert Meachem? Derek Cox? Those guys probably picked up their game checks with ski masks on because what they were doing is akin to stealing money from the team. We can always wish for the weak links to be replaced for more talented players and maintain our superfan status. In that line of thought, I paraphrase a line from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar:

I come not to praise 24, but to bury him.

Last season was an aberration and we all know it. For the first time in his four years as a Charger, Mathews played every game in a sixteen game season.  For essentially the entirety of his Chargers tenure Mathews has been fragile, unable to stay on the field and be productive. There has also been questions about his toughness and he's had issues holding on to the ball his entire pro career. The biggest issue is this wasn't just a streak of bad luck. Even in college at Fresno State, Mathews had a history of injury issues. The previous regime traded up sixteen spots in the first round of the 2010 draft to get him based on one outstanding season in 2009 when he led the nation in  rushing.

As Chargers fans, we've been spoiled. Mathews was brought in as the heir apparent to the legend known as LT, Ladainian Tomlinson. Tomlinson, who only missed ONE game in his first eight years as a Charger and dominated the league as it's best running back. Big shoes to fill. Before LT, the Chargers featured durable bruisers such as Natrone Means and Marion Butts in the 90's. Mathews was tapped to be next in the Chargers long line of outstanding feature backs. He fumbled that too.

Mathews came into this season on a high after finishing seventh in the league in rushing. This is also Mathews contract year. Time to face facts, there is no future with Mathews. Maybe his body can't stand the pounding. Maybe he trains wrong or not enough. Whatever it is he can't be depended on and the good news is Telesco now knows this. Mathews has been a quiet, humble man and is a valued member of the San Diego community. It's on the field where he comes up short.

Mathews missed seven games following the Seattle win and returned to face the Raiders at home after the bye week. Four games and 51 carries later, Mathews was done for the season. He looked good in his return but it was a short-lived return and that's the problem. 

San Diego simply can't rely on Mathews to be there in the clutch.  Mathews only played in played six games this season and a strong, successful rushing attack can't be attained when the number one running back can't stay on the field. 

In the end, I believe Telesco will let Mathews walk and the Chargers will bring in a big name back in free agency or the draft. Now that Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, the nation's leading rusher, has declared for the 2015 NFL Draft he's automatically the best running back on the board. This could be great for the Chargers since that pushes Todd Gurley and T.J. Yeldon down the draft board into the late first round if not the second altogether.

Am I saying the Chargers should draft a running back in the first or second round?

Yes.

The facts are these. For the first time in a decade, the Chargers have a ton of cash to spend in free agency. The most important areas that need to be addressed are the offensive and defensive lines and the secondary. If Telesco does as expected and uses that 25-30 million to address those needs then that does leave him the ability to draft a potentially franchise caliber running back like Gordon, Gurley or Yeldon. Drafting  a running back in the first couple rounds does not set a franchise back the way missing on a franchise quarterback does.  With its depth of talent at the running back position this draft would be one to give it a shot. Who wouldn't love to see Gordon or Gurley in lightning bolts next year providing thunder to Woodhead and Oliver's lightning?

Exactly.

Mathews is the last remaining item on the long list of mistakes left in Telesco's lap from the old regime. It is time to let Mathews go somewhere else and let a different fan base agonize over his fumbles and litany of injuries. Add a sprained MCL to all the ankle sprains, calf, hamstring and quad injuries that's kept him a mainstay in the trainer's room over the years. Lest we forget the broken collarbones. Aside from maybe...stuntmen, who breaks both collarbones in their lifetime, much less each one in a six month span? Yes, I think Bolt Nation has had enough seasons of 24. This series needs to be cancelled. Now.

 

What do you think? Do you want to see Mathews back in bolts next year?

 

Bolt Up

 

The Greg One

 

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