The San Diego Chargers battled back from an early deficit on Sunday to defeat the Minnesota Vikings 24-17. The Chargers were forced to rely primarily on their passing attack as the duo of Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert could not get much going on the ground. Mathews and Tolbert combined for 80 yards on 24 carries. Of course, they also combined on 12 receptions for 131 yards, so they weren't all bad.
Mike Tolbert Injury Update: Ryan Mathews Likely To Benefit In Playing Time
In bad news for the Chargers, Tolbert limped off the field in the fourth quarter and will undergo a precautionary MRI on his knee. For now the injury looks to be minor, but if it restricts him in week two against the Patriots, Ryan Mathews could benefit with some more consistent carries. For some running backs, having to split carries does not allow them to gain the kind of momentum that can lead to breaking off big runs. Mathews has plenty of question marks around him, so it would be nice to see him get a shot as the work horse to see if he can handle the role.
As the coming week progresses we’ll see how active Tolbert is in practice. Overall, the Chargers running back situation is messy enough that hopefully you have a bit of depth at the position. Mathews would seem to be the starter but Tolbert takes away too many carries to make either one wildly effective at this point on a regular, consistent basis.
See More:
