Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler will miss Thursday night's game against their division rival Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chargers have officially ruled out RB Austin Ekeler for Week 15. RB Melvin Gordon is traveling Kansas City and questionable to play vs. the Chiefs on Thursday.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 12, 2018
Ekeler has been a nice compliment to the Chargers potent offense this season and his presence in a crucial divisional game will surely be missed. Ekeler is nowhere near the talent of teammate Melvin Gordon, but his change of pace ability to relieve Gordon when needed has been great for the team.
Luckily for the Chargers, Melvin Gordon did travel with the team to Kansas City, but his status is still very much up in the air after sustaining a knee injury two weeks ago. The Chargers will look to third string running back Justin Jackson to take over the backfield if Gordon is held out of action once more. Jackson is a rookie, but has shown great flashes in his opportunities with the offense.
The Chargers have been a very pass heavy offense and if Jackson is the focal point of their backfield then the Chiefs can expect more of the same. Gordon is a one a kind running back, but Ekeler and Jackson do not prompt anywhere near the defensive game planning that Gordon would.
It's likely that with Ekeler out and Gordon most likely out once more, the Chargers will struggle a bit to be anything more than one dimensional in their play calling. Quarterback Phillip Rivers will likely have a very busy night trying to keep up with the style of play that the Chiefs have.
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