Multiple coaches and teammates said in the spring they were taken aback by the rate at which Chargers QB Philip Rivers learned the new offense. There have been practices where he’s thrown more underneath passes than he can remember, and that added balance will be beneficial, he said, because it should allow for more third-and-manageable situations.
After four consecutive top 10 seasons, Rivers fell to 20th in total fantasy points and 22nd in PPG. This can be partly attributed to the departure of Vincent Jackson and the fact that Antonio Gates simply isn't a dominant tight end anymore. Rivers is not an elite QB who can overcome a talent drop off, but he is capable enough to post good-to-great numbers if he's surrounded by good players. There are concerns that all of this underneath throwing will negatively impact Danario Alexander, but the team would be foolish to ignore the chemistry and success that the Rivers/Alexander duo had last season.
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