NFL Media's Oklahoma Drill series presents exclusive, quick-hitting one-on-one interviews with players and coaches from around the league. No nonsense -- just football experiences directly from the source.
Melvin Gordon
Running back, Los Angeles Chargers
Born: April 13, 1993
Experience: Two NFL seasons
Interview by Andie Hagemann | January 18, 2017
As far as adjusting, I don't think it will be that different. It's not like we're moving across the country, like the Rams did from St. Louis to California. We were already here. We're just moving an hour and 45 minutes up the road. It won't be that big of an adjustment.
I'm just happy we know -- since this has been going on for years -- and we just wanted to know where we would be. They were leaning toward L.A., and then back to San Diego, and with so much else going on. Guys wanted to know in the end where we would be. It's good to know, so now we can settle in.
[Anthony Lynn is] a coach who is firm about his business. I know a lot of coaches come off that way, but person-to-person, I got that sense from him. He wants to win, and he keeps stating that, and it keeps sticking in my head -- win, win, win, win, and that's what he keeps preaching. I firmly believe that's his mindset, his goal, and that's what we're going to do.
Yes, I was happy we got to keep Whiz. [Ken Whisenhunt is] a familiar face around here. When you come in as an [offensive coordinator], you have to take time to try to figure out your players' strengths and weaknesses, so you can figure out where to put them. With Whiz, he knows the guys' strengths and weaknesses, what they got better at and what they are like. It's not another process of starting over. We can just roll. I'm happy Whiz is here to continue to help move the team forward.
At the end of the day, we know [injury] is the part of the game. It was kind of getting upsetting at one point, because we were averaging a player a game going down with an ACL injury. At one point, we're turning heads, saying, "It can be you."
Guys kept falling with weird injuries. I think there were two or three Achilles [injuries] this season, like with Manti Te'o. Those are guys who can make a difference in the game, but this game is all about adversity. We all trained hard, we all worked hard, and you lose guys, but you can't put everything on pause and call it over because we lost this guy. That's the only way I'm wired, the way we're wired, and that's what we did.
As good as it was -- compared to my first year -- it didn't meet my standards. I'm not happy with it, and the only way to get that monkey off your back or get out of that hole, which I was starting to crawl out of and put myself there, is to work harder. ... I worked pretty hard, and I think that's the saddest part when you get hurt, the part I think that really frustrates players. You put in so much, have an amazing year, and it's taken away from you, and there's nothing you can do about it.
Right now, I told myself my No. 1 goal and only goal is to get a Super Bowl. I'm not dumb, and I know Philip [Rivers'] time is coming to an end really quickly here, along with his partner in crime, Antonio Gates. Just being around those guys -- they're great guys. I just pride myself on doing what I can for my teammates and send those guys out the right way. I've become close with those two, especially Gates.
It would hurt me if I knew I went out there and didn't give it everything I have. That's my goal: to lay it all out there every game regardless of what happens and try to win a Super Bowl.
I'm from Wisconsin, so I'd like if Green Bay would win it all. Just so I can have bragging rights for my state, because everyone acts like they don't know where Wisconsin is when I tell them. I want Green Bay to win.
The Packers' secondary is so banged up. I don't think they can hold up against those receivers they have in Atlanta. I feel like they were hanging on in that Dallas game. If that went into overtime, Dallas wins. I feel like Aaron Rodgers can only do so much. Hopefully, Jordy Nelson can be back. Without Jordy, it's a different story, too, because he adds a different dimension. But I don't feel those corners can match up.
As for the New England-Pittsburgh game, I don't know what to expect. You can never bet against New England, but if Le'Veon [Bell], Antonio [Brown] and Ben [Roethlisberger] are all on, [the Patriots will] get beat. We'll have to see.
For the Super Bowl, I'm predicting Atlanta and New England, but [any] team can easily be there.
I instantly felt more comfortable when [Derek Watt was on the field]. We've been on the same page for so long, and we picked up where we left off. He's going to be even better this year. He knows what to expect now. I told him the first year, you work your way in and worry about what your coaches say … and the next year, if they don't like it, so be it, but I'm going to give it what I got. That's how the mindset changes. He'll realize that and up his game -- I know it -- which will help me.
Some of my big plays last year came when he was in there with me, and we're effective with him in there. We'll find ways to use him more, because he has great hands, can block well and run routes. It will be interesting to see how he progresses.
