Where do the Chargers go from here? They’ve got some talent, but there also needs to be some changes.

They need to add some speed and playmaking at wide receiver, I think. Keenan Allen is a reliable pro, but he’s not a receiver who scares anyone; he’s not fast enough to get downfield. He’ll also be 31 in April. Allen was hardly a factor in last night’s game.

Mike Williams creates mismatches with his size, but he’s also not a burner. Nor is their third guy, Joshua Palmer.

They could also use a second running back. Austin Ekeler is a neat weapon, but he’s more of a deluxe third-down back than a full-time kind of player. The offense might be better if they had another back who could pick up more of the running duties.

Ekeler is small, and he wasn’t much of a factor as a runner this year. He ran for 173 yards in a game at Cleveland early in the year, but he otherwise averaged only 49 rushing yards per game. He carried 13 times for 35 yards in the playoff loss last night.

With the way the Chargers have called plays, Ekeler has scored lots of touchdowns. Including the playoffs, he’s scored 20 in each of the last two years. But he hasn’t made a big impact as a runner in general – between the 20s.

With the numbers in front of me, I notice that Ekeler is one of only five backs since the merger who has run for 10-plus touchdowns two years in a row without running for 1,000 yards in either of those seasons. Johnny Hector and Pete Johnson did in the ’80s. Corey Dillon and Marion Barber did it almost 20 years ago. And now Ekeler.

That high-scoring tendency could disappear in a hurry, with the possibility the Chargers either bring in another back or re-work their offense. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi didn’t have a great year.

DOUBLE-DIGIT TOUCHDOWNS WITH UNDER 1,000 YARDS
YearPlayerAttYardsAvgTD
2001Mike Alstott, T.B.1656804.110
2002Moe Williams, Min.844144.911
2003T.J. Duckett, Atl.1977794.011
2003Marshall Faulk, St.L.2098183.910
2004Priest Holmes, K.C.1968924.614
2004Jerome Bettis, Pitt.2509413.813
2005Stephen Davis, Car.1805493.112
2006Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac.1669415.713
2005• Corey Dillon, N.E.2097333.512
2006• Corey Dillon, N.E.1998124.113
2006• Marion Barber, Dall.1356544.814
2007• Marion Barber, Dall.2049754.810
2007Earnest Graham, T.B.2228984.110
2008Tim Hightower, Ariz.1433992.810
2008Ronnie Brown, Mia.2149164.310
2008Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac.1978244.212
2008LeRon McClain, Balt.2329023.910
2008LenDale White, Ten.2007733.915
2008Jonathan Stewart, Car.1848364.510
2009Willis McGahee, Balt.1095445.012
2009Michael Turner, Atl.1788714.910
2009LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.2237303.312
2009Joseph Addai, Ind.2198283.810
2010Mike Tolbert, S.D.1827354.011
2011BenJarvus Green-Ellis, N.E.1816673.711
2011Adrian Peterson, Min.2089704.712
2012Trent Richardson, Cle.2679503.611
2012Michael Turner, Atl.2228003.610
2015Jeremy Hill, Cin.2237943.611
2015DeAngelo Williams, Pitt.2009074.511
2016Melvin Gordon, S.D.2549973.910
2016Latavius Murray, Oak.1957884.012
2018Melvin Gordon, LAC1758855.110
2018James Conner, Pitt.2159734.512
2018Alvin Kamara, N.O.1948834.614
2019Todd Gurley, LAR2238573.812
2020Kenyan Drake, Ariz.2399554.010
2020Antonio Gibson, Was.1707954.711
2020Alvin Kamara, N.O.1879325.016
2021James Conner, Ariz.2027523.715
2021Derrick Henry, Ten.2199374.310
2021Damien Harris, N.E.2029294.615
2021Austin Ekeler, LAC2049154.513
2021Austin Ekeler, LAC2069114.412

—Ian Allan