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49ers vs. Chargers: Week 4 preview for San Francisco

By Chris Wilson

SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 31: Trent Taylor #81 of the San Francisco 49ers returns a punt against the Los Angeles Chargers at Levi's Stadium on August 31, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 31: Trent Taylor #81 of the San Francisco 49ers returns a punt against the Los Angeles Chargers at Levi's Stadium on August 31, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Chargers Week 4 preview
San Francisco 49ers DB Antone Exum (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Week 4 by the numbers

In 2017, the Chargers had a slow start to their first season under new head coach Anthony Lynn, as the team lost their first four games of the year. Lynn quickly turned things around for Los Angeles, with the Chargers winning their next three games.

The Chargers continued strong and finished the season with a 9-7 record, but barely missed the playoffs due to the NFL’s playoff tie-breaking rules, with the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans taking the last two AFC playoff spots.

The Chargers had both a top-10 offense and a top-10 defense last season, and particularly excelled in the passing game on both sides of the ball.

Los Angeles lead the NFL with 4,431 passing yards in 2017, with their passing attack — led by veteran quarterback Philip Rivers — ranking second in Football Outsiders’ DVOA. Rivers’ top target was oft-injured wide receiver Keenan Allen, who played the first 16-game season of his five-year career.

The Chargers’ running backs were far less efficient, but were still productive due to volume. Running back Melvin Gordon, who also played in 16 games for the first time in his career, finished the season with 1,105 yards and eight scores on the ground, and added an additional 476 yards and four touchdowns through the air.

Over their first three games of 2018, the Chargers’ passing game has produced at a similar level, but they’ve seen a substantial improvement in their rushing attack. By splitting carries between Gordon — who currently has the highest yards-per-carry average in his career — and RB Austin Ekeler, who currently averages over eight yards per attempt, the Chargers’ running game is one of the NFL’s best so far this season.

In 2017, Los Angeles had a “bend but don’t break” defense that allowed a ton of yardage, but only 17 points per game, which was the third-fewest in the NFL. In 2018, the Chargers’ defense has “broken” more than it has “bent” as their 31 points allowed per game ranks third-worst in the league. After allowing just 17 touchdowns through the air last season, Los Angeles has already given up eight touchdown passes in the first three games of 2018.