No. 2: Melvin Gordon, Running Back

The Chargers are known as more of an up-tempo, aerial team, but the best offenses generally possess a healthy balance of run and pass. On Sunday, they did a solid job of mixing in the run with the pass.

The biggest beneficiary was running back Melvin Gordon, who tallied his first 100-yard rushing performance since Oct. 29 of last year. Gordon finished with 15 carries for 104 yards, averaging a sterling 6.9 yards per carry against a usually stout San Francisco run defense.

But Gordon also played a large part in the passing game, hauling in seven passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 7.9 yards per reception and his TD came on a 6-yard hookup with quarterback Philip Rivers that gave the Chargers their first lead of the game, at 23-17, early in the third quarter.

Rivers is perennially among the league leaders in passing yards, and he has ranked second in the NFL in two of the past three seasons. But if the Chargers are able to develop a more consistent ground game, they will have a much more rounded offense.

Next Page: No. 1