Gordon dominated inside the tackles Sunday, with 28 rushes for 171 yards and a touchdown. In fact, his broken tackle rate (38th) and average yards after contact (1.9, 34th) both ranked near the bottom of the league, in the same range as the man he is supplanting in …
This is most evident on Anthony Lynn’s pin and pull sweeps, but also shows up on stretch plays, Duo, and a number of other concepts.Beyond Gordon’s ability to soak up touches, he also has solid athletic ability. Gordon’s 398 rushing yards after contact are the most in the NFL. He’s physical in how he’ll engage with a blitzer down the pipe, and he’s got the feel for how to chip an edge rusher so as to help his tackle rather than disrupt the initial block.Adding Graham Glasgow to the offensive line should open up the ability to pull and lead with guards in either direction, which should only help accentuate Gordon’s strengths as an outside runner.Like the vast majority of running backs, Gordon is very dependent on his offensive line for his production. Beyond his ability to see the hole, what really stands out about Gordon as a running back is how well he gets through trash. Gordon has nine rushing touchdowns in nine games in 2016, after recording none in 2015.What will be interesting to see is if Gordon can handle the workload.
Melvin Gordon: Pos: RB, Career: 67 G, 47 TD, 2xProBowl, Chargers 2015-2019, born WI 1993
Melvin Gordon’s free agent deal with the Broncos officially processed. While Gordon is still looked at in many circles as one of the better running backs in football, the former Wisconsin Badgers star has only eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing once in his five seasons. He has bumped up his between-the-tackles average per carry from 3.3 yards in 2015 to 3.9 in 2016.Gordon gained 95 of those yards after initial contact, the most by a Chargers player in the past eight seasons. Last year he fell back to 14th. Tacklers who come in too high or don’t properly wrap him off will find it harder to bring him down, and he brings this physicality to his blocking responsibilities.As a receiver, Gordon is solid.
It wasn’t just the supporting cast. Quick penetration can stop him dead in his tracks if he doesn’t have any momentum built up and because he’s an adequate accelerator from a stop this shows up time and again. The touchdown total would rank fifth, trailing three seasons by Tomlinson and one by Chuck Muncie (19 touchdowns in 1981).In Sunday’s win over the Titans, Gordon rushed for 196 yards, the most by a Chargers player since LaDainian Tomlinson had 198 against the Raiders in 2007. He’s a violent runner who’s going to engage opponents and can be tough to take down once he builds up a head of steam.What does the former Los Angeles Charger bring to the Denver Broncos and the Pat Shurmur offense? More than once I’ve seen him make something out of nothing in the hole to maximize his carry. He’s quick to tuck the ball and prevent opportunities to bat it out of his possession. Standing at 6’ and 215 lbs, he meets the desired size most teams have for a running back with quick feet and strong legs and core.
He shows good hands with an ability to track and catch the ball behind him and beneath his waist. According to the game charters at Pro Football Focus, Ekeler created 3.63 yards per carry after contact. By comparison, Gordon created 2.83 yards per carry after contact… His 261 yards from scrimmage were the second-most in a game in Chargers history, surpassed only by Tomlinson’s 271 in 2002. After five years wearing the Chargers “Powder Blues,” Melvin Gordon has joined his AFC West divisional rival in the Denver Broncos. He has all the makings of a very good pass blocker. Melvin Gordon III (born April 13, 1993) is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He does a nice job of high stepping over limbs and fallen bodies. He does a nice job of manipulating defenders with his intentions, which gives the blocking a chance to get into optimal position. After making the reception, he immediately turns into a runner to maximize the play. He totaled 184 in 14 games the past season.
Gordon has handled this before, however; in 2014 at Wisconsin, he rushed 343 times for 2,587 yards in 14 games. Last season, he totaled 310 rushing yards after contact, which ranked 23rd in the NFL.Through nine games, Gordon is on pace for 1,365 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. It is really noticeable on runs between the tackles and plays a part in the fact that only once during his career with the Chargers he had better than 4 yards per carry over a season.Gordon’s vision is good.
He will shake arm tackles. Gordon’s 398 rushing yards after contact are the most in the NFL.
He was 5th in yards after contact in 2018 and broke tackles on a higher percentage than all but 3 other players. Gordon gained 95 of those yards after initial contact, the most by a Chargers player in the past eight seasons.