COSTA MESA Ryquell Armstead Jersey , Calif. (AP) — It might be time for Melvin Gordon to seriously reconsider his absence from the Los Angeles Chargers.Gordon has held out since the beginning of training camp in hopes of getting a contract extension. The fifth-year running back — along with those who watched Sunday’s 30-24 overtime victory over the Indianapolis Colts — saw an offense just as effective and balanced as it was last season.The Chargers averaged 6.0 yards per carry in the running game. Austin Ekeler scored three touchdowns and had a career-best 154 yards from scrimmage, while Justin Jackson rushed for 57 yards. With the success of the run game and the balance of the offense, it looked the same as last year except for Gordon not being there.“When we are balanced, there is no question that is when we play our best,” said Philip Rivers, who passed for 333 yards and three touchdowns. “We can dink-and-dunk it, we can line up in two tights and pound it, we can use the hard run-action and get big chunks like we did to Hunter (Henry) and Keenan (Allen).”WHAT’S WORKINGEkeler and left tackle Scott as a duo. Ekeler has transitioned into the lead role and became the first non-drafted player to have over 150 scrimmage yards http://www.jaguarscheapstore.com/gardner-minshew-ii-jersey-cheap , two receiving and a rushing TD in the same game in 43 years. The Chargers had 10 carries over 10 yards as the offensive line did an effective job opening holes.Rivers said most of the success on the ground came off a base running play, which allowed the line to open large holes up the middle.The much-maligned line also a good job of giving Rivers time in the pocket for most of the game. Scott was solid for the most part in his first start.An even more encouraging note is that the line was not called for a holding penalty, which was not the case during the preseason. Right tackle Sam Tevi was called for an illegal motion and Scott got flagged for an illegal formation.WHAT NEEDS HELPThe Chargers were ninth against the run and allowed only two 100-yard rushers last season. Indianapolis’ Marlon Mack shredded Los Angeles for 174 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown during the third quarter.That is the most yards a running back has gained against the Chargers since Adrian Peterson set an NFL record with 296 for the Minnesota Vikings in 2007. The Chargers allowed 203 yards to the Colts, the second most since Lynn took over in 2017.“That’s an area where we have gotten better the past couple seasons, but we took a step back yesterday,” Lynn said. “Anytime a team runs the football that many times for that many yards it is a physical thing and we have to get better.”STOCK UPTy Long punted, kicked an extra point and made a field goal in his first NFL game. He is the first player to do that in his debut since Olindo Mare with Miami in 1997. Long did double duty the past two years with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League Nick Bosa Jersey , but it is not often done in the NFL.“I’ll be brutally honest with you. It felt exactly like a CFL game. The speed felt the same, everything,” Long said.STOCK DOWNCornerback and punt returner Desmond King, who muffed a punt late in the third quarter. The Colts took over at the Chargers 27 but could not convert the turnover into points when Adam Vinatieri was wide left from 29 yards.King averaged 9.2 yards on punt returns last year and ran one back 73 yards for a touchdown in a Week 13 victory over Pittsburgh. But he has three fumbles with two lost over the past six games, including the playoffs.“He has to make that correction,” Lynn said. “I know he is trying to make a play, but sometimes you have to fair catch and just take the ball where they punt it.”INJUREDCB Michael Davis is expected to miss at least a couple weeks with a hamstring injury. That leaves the Chargers with only three healthy cornerbacks and would necessitate a roster move. … K Michael Badgley, who injured his groin during last Friday’s practice Dwayne Haskins Jersey , is questionable for Sunday’s game at Detroit.KEY NUMBER121.3 — Rivers’ passer rating on Sunday after completing 25 of 34 passes. The Chargers are 43-5 and have won eight straight when he posts a rating over 120.NEXT STEPSThe Chargers are 1-0 for the first time in Lynn’s three seasons as coach. They look to win their opening two for the first time since 2012 when they travel to Detroit, a team they have defeated seven of the last eight times. No. 20 Boise State very quietly put together one of the more impressive performances of the season’s opening weekend.The Broncos will have the opportunity to make a lot of noise over the next two weeks beginning with Saturday night’s game against Connecticut.While UConn is far from a marquee opponent — the Broncos are more than four-touchdown favorites — the Huskies are still a recognizable program making a cross-country trip to serve as Boise State’s opponent for the Broncos’ 2018 debut on their blue turf.The Huskies are an appetizer for next week when the Broncos face what is likely to be their biggest test of the season playing at Oklahoma State.The Broncos opened the season with a resounding 56-20 rout of Troy on the road. Brett Rypien got his senior season off to a fantastic start by throwing for 305 yards and four touchdowns.The Broncos defense unveiled the “Turnover Throne” and recorded four takeaways. The only downside of the trip to Alabama was some shaky play on a special teams and a possible arm injury to cornerback and punt returner Avery Williams that may limit his availability against the Huskies.UConn would rather its opener be forgotten. The Huskies were overmatched and blown out at home by Central Florida. UConn’s young, inexperienced defense, which featured six freshmen getting significant playing time, surrendered 652 yards of offense to the Knights.The task for those youngsters gets no easier against the Broncos.UConn coach Randy Edsall said that’s just part of the growth his young players need to experience.“They’ve never had to be comfortable being uncomfortable,” Edsall said. “They’ve never done that. And now they come here, and they’re going to be uncomfortable.”Here are other things to watch as the Huskies and Broncos meet:FAVORITE TARGET: It didn’t take very long for Rypien to find himself a new favorite target in the Boise State passing game. Sean Modster had seven receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns in the opener. No other Boise State player had more than three receptions. Modster scored on TDs of 20 and 54 yards, with the second touchdown becoming important in establishing a big-play threat in the passing game after the graduation of Cedrick Wilson.SOLID DEBUT: One of the bright spots in UConn’s opener was the play of quarterback David Pindell. The senior rushed for 157 yards to go along with his 266 yards through the air. The 157 yards rushing were the most ever by a UConn quarterback http://www.ravenscheapstores.com/marquise-brown-jersey-cheap , but while that got the attention his passing was also solid. Pindell completed 27 of 41 throws and he nearly topped his career high in passing yards.Now he faces a Boise State defense that has struggled at times in the past with dual-threat quarterbacks.GROUND ATTACK: While the Broncos were pleased with their offensive output in the opener, they would have liked to see more from the running game. Alexander Mattison had just 56 yards rushing on 14 carries. The Broncos finished with 111 yards on the ground and 44 of those came from backup QB Chase Cord on a long TD run in the fourth quarter. UConn allowed 296 yards rushing to UCF.GO WEST: The trip to Boise is the farthest West the Huskies have ever traveled for a game. They played at BYU a few years ago, but Boise is a bit further. The Huskies made the trip on Thursday rather than the day before the game.UConn has never played a game in the Pacific Time Zone.