SDUT: Ryan Mathews goes back to the basics

[Robin Miller]

Ryan Mathews goes back to the basics

By Michael Gehlken

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Players usually leave the football on the field once practice ends.

This week, Ryan Mathews has been carrying it with him.

The Chargers running back fumbled inside the 10-yard line Sunday in his
first game back from a broken clavicle. It was one of the team's two
red-zone turnovers in the game, as tight end Dante Rosario also fumbled
in the fourth quarter.

Mathews was practically attached to a football in the spring, carrying
it during sprints, weight-room lifts or when standing back as a returner
on special teams drills. The coverage team would run down their lanes,
find Mathews, and try to swipe the ball from his hands.

After the recent fumble, he's attached himself to the football again.

“Back to the basics, man,” Mathews said. “Back to the basics.”

The 24-year-old showed his usual burst Sunday despite more than a
six-week gap from his last game rep, but coach Norv Turner made it clear
this week the fumbling issue is something Mathews, if he wants to see
the field on certain situations, has to stop in its tracks.

Teammate Jackie Battle believes he will.

Battle hasn't fumbled once in 221 regular-season touches. The preseason
has been a different story, including last year when he turned it over
on his second exhibition carry.

"Coming out of the lockout, I couldn't practice," Battle said. "My first
contact was in the very first preseason game. It's kind of the same
situation as Ryan coming off his injury. It's tough not getting hit.
Your first contact is live during a game. It's a different kind of
situation. You're not used to getting hit yet, so I've been there.

"After that game, I was smooth. But that first game was a little rough."

Time will tell how Mathews responds.

Rosario said he hasn't done anything differently in light of his fumble,
the first of his NFL career.

It happened in a similar fashion as Mathews'.

Both were in the process of being tackled, falling to the ground, the
play nearly dead, when a second defender lunged toward them and jarred
the ball free.

"Just knowing when it's better to get down," Rosario said. "You're not
going to do any good fighting for more yards. When a guy has your legs
wrapped up and another guy is coming in to finish you off, just knowing
we have other plays to try to score. Live to play another play."

Nuts 'n' Bolts

• Cornerbacks Quentin Jammer (hand) and Shareece Wright (ankle) did not
practice Wednesday. Wright was able to do some jogging on the side
field. Outside linebacker Antwan Barnes (knee) and Jared Gaither (back)
were limited participants.

• The Chargers have signed Greg Gatson back to the practice squad, as
the world turns. The rookie cornerback was waived Monday to make room
for guard-tackle Reggie Wells in what's become a weekly shuffle between
the two, on and off the roster. Gatson has been the team's No. 4
cornerback with Wright out with a high ankle sprain.

[David F. Mishiwiec Sr.]

I don't know what this will accomplish. Players who regularly handle the
ball are taught the three points of contact ad nauseum. If Matthews
still doesn't have that down then he's certainly not going to get it
now. Besides, in game action instincts take over. If it is not mindless
habit then you are not going to do it in full speed action. Matthews
seems especially prone to fumbling in the first game back from injury.
He tries so hard to fight for that extra yard that it leaves him, or the
ball, vulnerable. The result is the ball comes out before he goes down.
Sometimes the better part of valor is discretion. In other words, just
go down dude and live to fight again on the next down.

--
**********************************************************************************************************************************
David F. Mishiwiec Sr.

“I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any
party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in
anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such addiction
is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to
heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all.”

~Thomas Jefferson~
**********************************************************************************************************************************

[Michael T.]

I think one could make the case that UT writers like Gehlken and Canepa are
prisoners of the moment with their focus on Mathews' fumbling.

Ryan only lost a fumble twice last season and had gone five games without
losing a fumble going into the Falcons game.

Not that Ryan shouldn't continue to work on his technique. I just think the
story might be a tad bit overplayed.

[ScottW]

Come on....not losing fumbles is pure luck and can't be risked. He
puts the ball on the ground far too frequently for a primary RB. The
number one stat differentiating winners from losers is turnovers.
Chargers aren't close to good enough to overcome losing the turnover
battle.

ScottW

[Michael T.]

"ScottW" <Scot...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Come on....not losing fumbles is pure luck and can't be risked. He
puts the ball on the ground far too frequently for a primary RB. The
number one stat differentiating winners from losers is turnovers.
Chargers aren't close to good enough to overcome losing the turnover
battle.

ScottW

*********************

But Scott, Ryan Mathews 2011 stats for 'total fumbles' and 'fumbles lost'
are almost identical to those for Reggie Bush and the Miami media is not all
in a flutter over fumbling problems.

As I said earlier, the SDUT is a prisoner of the moment and seems to be
overplaying their hand a bit.

[ScottW]

On Sep 27, 11:02 pm, "Michael T." <no_spam_1...@cox.net> wrote:

Did Miami win anything? Does this prove a team can win with a RB
who fumbles the ball every 35.5 carries? I don't give a crap if the
SDUT is silent or "over playing" or if Miami media gives a crap about
the fins or not.
Chargers won't be a serious contender if Mathews doesn't reduce his
fumbling just as they won't contend if Rivers doesn't quit throwing
the ball up for grabs.

Reduce the turnovers is the number 1 thing the Chargers can do to
improve their chances. Number 2 would be to create turnovers. Number
3 would be get stops on 3rd down.

ScottW

[David F. Mishiwiec Sr.]

OK we must be in a parallel or opposite universe of some kind. I agree
with Scott 100%. In fact, I couldn't have said it any better myself. No
offense Scott but I think I need a drink. A stiff one at that, very
stiff. :)

[Michael T.]

If Matthews fumbles in KC, I will have egg on my face.

Otherwise, I am certain that down the road we will look back on this SDUT
fixation on his fumbling problems as premature and misguided.

All I can say is stay tuned.

[ScottW]

I think they quoted both AJ and Norv as premature and
misguided....gotta give credit where credit is due.

ScottW