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Surge or Static: Ekeler was quite Ek-cellent Color Rush Melvin Ingram Jersey , rookie defenders flourish It seemed like every other time Austin Ekeler touched the ball last year, there was a thought that popped into my mind. I didn’t give this thought much acknowledgement as it seemed to get crazier the longer it lingered. But it kept coming back.When the former UDFA out of Western State took the first carry of his career 35 yards to the house against the Eagles, that was the spark.When he started catching passes down the field on wheel routes and tip-toeing sidelines for touchdowns against the Jaguars, the flames were fanned.These uncomfortable feelings persisted throughout the rest of the 2017 season and are still here at this very moment. For those that are confused, here is the question I’ve been wrangling with for the entire offseason: Is Melvin Gordon really the best running back on the team?(Gasp!)I know, I know. It’s pretty crazy to try and fathom such a thing, but it isn’t that much of a stretch from reality. When Ekeler is in the game, he becomes a real spark-plug for the offense. He hits his holes with eye-popping quickness, sticking his foot in the ground at a moment’s notice to get north and south.In the latest tilt against the Saints, Ekeler was his usual efficient-self. He maximized his limited attempts on the ground while becoming a reliable dump-off target for Rivers. That’s the type of back we want in the game, no matter if it’s Ekeler, Gordon, or even rising UDFA Detrez Newsome.And if you haven’t guessed already yet...SurgingRB Austin EkelerEkeler touched the ball seven times on the opening drive, alone. He started the night by breaking off a 21-yard run up the left sideline. His next run went for another 12 yards as he followed FB Derek Watt off left tackle, showing some patience as his blockers set up a nice lane. His next two runs went for six and nine yards http://www.authenticlosangeleschargers.com/cheap-joe-barksdale-jersey , respectively. If you blinked, you may have wondered how the Chargers got into the Saints’ red zone so quickly.On the night, Ekeler collected just nine touches, three of those being catches, but turned those into 63 total yards and averaged a stellar 7.0 yards per touch.With TE Hunter Henry out for the season, I instantly started pounding the table for OC Ken Whisenhunt and the offense to start using more two-RB, three-WR sets to maximize the amount of playmakers on the field. Can you imagine a package with Gordon, Ekeler, Keenan Allen, Tyrell, and Mike Williams all on the field at the same time? Come on, son.LB Kyzir White/S Derwin JamesI couldn’t decide between White and James because, quite frankly, they’ve both been phenomenal this preseason. To no one’s surprise, they’ve both played their way into a starting spot with this defense. Earlier today Color Rush Joey Bosa Jersey , head coach Anthony Lynn finally confirmed that James will start week 1, allowing fans to breathe a long sigh of relief.White, on the other hand, may not “start” according to their base defense package but he will most definitely have a role as the nickel/dime linebacker. Due to the mass volume of plays they spend in these packages, White should be considered a starter with the rest of the defense in the same vein that CB Desmond King is essentially a starter as the team’s slot corner.I couldn’t be more excited about these two players as they add a level of versatility that allows this defense to be extremely multiple without needing to sub a number of players every time they get a new look from the offense. One aspect in particular that I am stoked about is just how well these two match-up with opposing play-makers, specifically the rash of dual-threat running backs across the league. Staying StaticNT Brandon MebaneMebane just ain’t for the middle of this defensive interior. Once a free agent signing that got fans excited for a run-stuffing presence next to DT Corey Liuget, the former-member of those historic Seattle Seahawk defenses is, and has been, on the wrong side of 30 years old for some time now.In this preseason alone, Mebane has been constantly moved around against his will. Yes he is tasked with taking on double-teams but it is fairly evident he no longer has the strength in his lower haunches to buckle down against interior offensive linemen. What makes matters worse is the supposed depth behind Mebane at the 1-technique. DT Justin Jones was drafted in the third round of the 2018 draft to possibly be the heir-apparent but even he doesn’t quite fit the bill for what the team needs. At 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds, he is the next biggest body that the team has other than DT Bijohn Jackson, a UDFA out of Arkansas who tips the scales at 339 pounds. Unfortunately, Jackson has been close to non-existent this preseason. The only other listed “nose tackle” on the roster is Damion Square who finds himself closer to 290 than 300-310.LB Jatavis BrownI mentioned some of these views in my “Thoughts” piece following Saturday’s game, but they warrant another go-round due to my frustration about the subject.Brown was a flashy player during his rookie year. Splash plays were the theme of his game and they always came when the team needed one the most. It was obviously hard not to get excited about him and his future, until last year Color Rush Keenan Allen Jersey , that is.In his sophomore campaign, Brown suffered a slump that stemmed from a combination of a nagging foot-injury and the new playbook from Gus Bradley that had the defense change from a 3-4 to a 4-3 front. After the 2017 season came to an end, most just chalked up the decline in play as a loss and chose to look forward to 2018 where Brown would be able to heal up, get a handle on the playbook, and get back to his old self.Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the case up to this point.Brown got most of his run in Saturday’s game with the backups and third-stringers. You would expect Brown to look pretty good as he cleans up against lesser competition. This also wasn’t the case. During the last third of the game, Brown missed a handful of tackles and was visibly outplayed by the likes of Hayes Pullard, who quietly went from one of the worst graded players by PFF to the Chargers’ #1 rated defensive player this preseason. Jahleel Addae saw Russell Wilson's pass coming in his direction. He didn't see David Moore running open behind him in the back of the end zone, and as the pass floated past, Addae reached out his right arm as far as he could."I got my last fingernail on it," Addae said. "I barely snipped it."Another last-second challenge for the Los Angeles Chargers defense. Another victory for the surging Chargers, holding off Wilson's late rally for a 25-17 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.The Chargers won their fifth straight, putting a capper on Philip Rivers' 200th consecutive start with another clutch defensive stand. Rivers threw two touchdowns, Melvin Gordon ran for 113 yards, yet those two were standing on the sideline watching after a pass interference call against Michael Davis on the final play of regulation gave Seattle an untimed down and a chance to force overtime.And just like they did in London when the Chargers denied Tennessee's 2-point conversion attempt to preserve a 20-19 win Youth Russell Okung Jersey , the defense came through again."It shouldn't have come down to that but it did," Rivers said. "We found a way to win. These kinds of wins are huge."Rivers threw touchdown passes of 12 yards to Tyrell Williams and 30 yards to Mike Williams, and let the Chargers defense stymie Wilson until the final minutes. Seattle had won four of five following a 0-2 start.Desmond King provided the deciding points for Los Angeles (6-2) by stepping in front of Wilson's pass for Moore and returning it 42 yards for a touchdown with 6:44 remaining to give the Chargers a 25-10 lead.Wilson managed to make the final minutes nervous for Los Angeles."We had a chance to win a game that's right there for us," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. "It was going to be dramatic, but we're OK about that."Wilson hit Nick Vannett on a 6-yard TD with 1:50 remaining to cut the Chargers' lead to one score. Seattle got the ball back with 1:24 left at its own 22 and after two completions and a roughing the passer penalty on Melvin Ingram, the Seahawks were at the Chargers 44 with 50 seconds left. Wilson scrambled for 16 yards to the Chargers 28 and, after a spike, Seattle had 30 seconds left.Seattle (4-4) got a break when Davis was called for pass interference in the end zone on the final play of regulation against Tyler Lockett, putting the ball at the 1 for an untimed down. Seattle's J.R. Sweezy was called for false start backing the play up to the 6, and Wilson's final attempt for Moore in the back of the end zone was partially tipped by Addae and fell incomplete."It's like winning a playoff game," Chargers defensive lineman Brandon Mebane said. "That was like a playoff game."Wilson was 26 of 39 for 235 yards, and threw a 10-yard TD pass to Jaron Brown on Seattle's opening drive.Rivers became the fourth quarterback in league history to start 200 straight games, joining Brett Favre, Eli Manning and Peyton Manning. Favre started an NFL-record 297 straight times in the regular season. This wasn't like his 2010 performance in Seattle when Rivers threw for 455 yards, but he made key throws at important times Youth Dan Feeney Jersey , especially in the first half. The Chargers averaged 10 yards per play in the first half and scored touchdowns on three of their five possessions, the last one taking just 55 seconds to find the end zone on a 30-yard catch-and-run by Mike Williams.Gordon averaged 7.1 yards per carry and ran through huge holes in the second half. His 34-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter gave him 34 TDs in his past 36 games after going scoreless in his first 14 games.Seattle also didn't have answers for Keenan Allen, who had 124 yards on six receptions."It's great, any time we can go on the road, loudest place in the league and get a win the way we did," Allen said. "I thought it was dominating, outside the points we missed, but pretty great."INJURIESCarson didn't play much after the first quarter, spending most of the time on the sideline with a wrap on his upper left leg due to a hip injury. Carson had 40 yards on eight carries before going to the bench. ... Seattle played the second half without starting strong safety Bradley McDougald due to a knee injury. He had been questionable on the final injury report. ... Guard D.J. Fluker injured a leg in the fourth quarter.REMEMBERING PAULSeattle played a lengthy tribute video honoring owner Paul Allen who died on Oct. 15 due to complications from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. They also had a moment of silence for Allen and had the "12 Flag" that's raised before every game lowered to half-staff.Seattle also had logos added to the field reading "PGA" similar to the patches the team had added to its uniforms."We love the spirit that he stood for," Carroll said. "He affected all of us... his wisdom and his charity and his love for this area."KICKING WOESChargers kicker Caleb Sturgis might be looking for a new job after missing two extra points and a 42-yard field goal attempt. Sturgis is the first kicker with a missed extra point and missed field goal in three straight games since Raiders kicker Jim Breech in 1979.UP NEXTChargers: Travel to Oakland to face the Raiders.Seahawks: At NFC West foe Los Angeles Rams. Custom Miami Dolphins Jerseys