The Facts: Early in the season, HC Mike McCoy saw flashes of the player he expected when the Chargers drafted Gordon in the first round last year. McCoy said he expects to see more of those types of plays from Gordon in his second season. "He's going to be a better player," McCoy said. "I think the big thing for any young player is you're going to learn from your younger years. He's going to look back in a year or two and say, 'God, I wish I would have known that.'"
Diehards Line:
Gordon finished with 641 rushing yards in 14 games played, averaging 3.5 yards a contest. After scoring 32 touchdowns his final season at Wisconsin, Gordon was held without a score his first season in San Diego, although the Chargers seldom gave him the ball in the red zone. Gordon started the season strong but appeared to lose confidence as San Diego’s offensive line experienced injuries and inconsistent play up front, failing to regularly open up holes for the explosive running back. Gordon eventually exhibited fumbling issues and a hesitancy in choosing the right running lane. The Chargers could not get the running game going and had to lean on Philip Rivers to carry the offense. McCoy hopes the addition of new offensive line coach Jeff Davidson will help create more consistent play up front. Meanwhile, Gordon is still recovering from offseason knee surgery and may not be fully cleared to begin workouts once San Diego’s offseason program begins in mid-April.