With The First Pick
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San Diego Chargers Youngsters Help Philip Rivers

By Carl Cockerham

Oct 13, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) passes during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 13, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) passes during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /
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The San Diego Chargers have talent around veteran quarterback Philip Rivers but they are young. Rivers is teaching his youngsters how to finish and Thursday night’s game was a good first step.

When you have a young, talented team like the San Diego Chargers do, you’re going to see some growing pains. Either a youngster makes a costly mistake or no one steps up to make the big play. The Chargers have four losses games by a total of 14 points this year.

And they’ve had their fair share of both cases in the process of losing those four games. So for the Chargers, it’s going to come down to how fast they learn to close these games. And their win over the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos makes one wonder.

Is it just one close win?

Was this the confidence booster the Chargers need to get going?

Or do the Chargers have youngsters becoming difference-makers?

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Running back Melvin Gordon, the team’s 2015 1st-round pick had a rough go of it last year with no TDs. This year, Gordon already had six TDs coming in to the game. Thursday night, he didn’t hedid the heavy lifting with 94 yards so Rivers didn’t have to do everything.

And I owe defensive end Joey Bosa, their 2016 first round pick, an apology. I thought this year would be a wash for him because he missed training camp with contract issues. But after two sacks in his first game, he actually rushed the passer better against the Broncos.

Tight end Antonio Gates looks like the Sun is starting to set on his great career but no worries.  Hunter Henry, the team’s 2016 2nd-round pick, is starting to assume the role Gates once had. Henry had six catches for 86 yards and a TD to help Rivers out.

From the above, you can see it was the latter two of the three questions. A team needs difference-makers win close games and the three youngsters are getting there. But those youngsters and the team also got a huge confidence boost with the big win.

The Chargers were always dangerous but even more so now.

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