With Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon

and the front office at an impasse over a new contract Womens Adrian Phillips Jersey , coach Anthony Lynn and his players are focused on another type of business — preparing for the opener Sunday against Indianapolis.Running backs Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson will be under the microscope this week even though Gordon has been absent since the start of training camp. Ekeler and Jackson might be unknown to some fans — especially those trying to make their fantasy football rosters — but quarterback Philip Rivers doesn't have any doubts about what they can do."I don't think there's any unknown there. We've seen them in action and we know what they can do," Rivers said. "We can see the tape and go off how many days of work we put in together to know they are capable of moving the ball."Rivers said he has had some communication with Gordon, but nothing beyond that. If the Chargers struggle out of the gate, that might change for everyone involved.For now, though, they are content to see how far Ekeler and Jackson can perform after both showed flashes last season.Ekeler has shown he is a good complementary back when paired with Gordon. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry last season and had 958 yards from scrimmage. Ekeler has 11 touchdowns the past two seasons, with six coming on receptions.Ekeler though has struggled when being counted on as the main back. He averaged only 3.3 yards per carry in the three games he started when Gordon was injured last season.The focus for Ekeler this week has been honing in on blitz pickup and refining technique."There's no added pressure," he said. "My approach has been the same for two years — put me a spot where I know this is my role and it is up to me to execute."Jackson is slightly smaller than Gordon Drew Kaser Jersey , but is more consistent on inside runs than Ekeler. He had three games of 50 yards or more, including 58 yards on 16 carries in a Week 15 start at Kansas City.Jackson, a seventh-round pick last year, says he is looking forward to taking advantage of another opportunity."Austin and I are dynamic and have some uniqueness," he said. "We all love Melvin but you have to go out there and play your game and not be someone else."Los Angeles will face an Indianapolis run defense that was eighth in the league last season (101.6 yards per game) and hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in its last 18-regular season games. The Colts allowed four running backs to gain 122 yards or more two years ago but none last year.Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus said he doesn't think Gordon's absence will affect the Chargers offense."If you watch when he wasn't in there last year and their other guys were in there I think they ran the same offense, the same types of runs and the same patterns. It looked like the same operation to me so I think it's really the same," he said.Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt acknowledged there would be a bigger sense of the unknown if Ekeler and Jackson had not played in big games at Pittsburgh and Kansas City last year. He is also hoping that the Chargers can remain balanced on offense, which is a big reason why they won 12 games and made the playoffs last season."I think that we http://www.thechargerslockerroom.com/authentic-hunter-henry-jersey , obviously, work very hard to make sure that we're consistent with running the football and that we want to keep doing that," he said. "If you look at what some of the runs that Austin and Justin had last year, you would think they have the chance to do that. That will be judged, I guess, over the course of time, but we certainly feel good about those guys."Follow Joe Reedy at www.twitter.com/joereedy Ranking all 32 NFL teams by their under-25 talent - Scott SprattReally, the Chargers might be fine without any running backs. Wideout Mike Williams enjoyed a sneaky breakout in his second season Womens Joe Barksdale Jersey , producing 262 DYAR -- 13th most at the position -- on just 66 targets. Tight end Hunter Henry was third among tight ends with 165 DYAR in his sophomore season before a torn ACL erased his 2018 season, and he'll be back to full health in 2019.Melvin Gordon insurance: Justin Jackson adds 'razzle-dazzle' to Bolts - Eric D. Williams"He's a creative runner," backfield mate Austin Ekeler said. "He's a unique runner. There aren't many people I've seen, in general, that run like he does. Like I tell him, he's got that razzle-dazzle, some hocus-pocus [laughs] -- I make up all these different things. That's how he runs, and that's how I'd describe his runs because you really don't know what he's going to do."Why you can't compare the Ezekiel Elliott and Melvin Gordon holdouts to Le'Veon Bell's - Dan GrazianoAnd same with Gordon Casey Hayward Jersey , though the central issues seem to tilt his situation in favor of the team, as it has some depth at running back and he hasn't made the same kind of money Elliott has made so far. It's possible, if the Chargers don't think he is going to budge from his demands, they find a trade partner and move on, though that's tricky since the acquiring team would have to give the Chargers something of value and also sign Gordon to the deal he wants.Stock up, Stock down following Los Angeles Chargers’ loss to Cardinals - Gavino Borquez (slide show)Lamp came into the game as the backup right guard to Michael Schofield, but his playing time suggests otherwise. The former Western Kentucky started at left guard and played every single snap. He also played on the right side, too.Chargers winners and losers following one preseason game - Alexander InsdorfStick wasn’t as efficient as Taylor http://www.thechargerslockerroom.com/authentic-melvin-ingram-jersey , which is expected as a newcomer to the league, but he sure did show flashes. Rebounding from his interception in the third quarter, Stick came out in the fourth with a great scoring drive down the field, finished by a 31-yard scramble to the end zone. He’s nowhere near NFL ready yet, as exemplified by his early struggles in the game, but his drive at the beginning of the fourth quarter as well as some other moments during the game show that he does have great potential as a project.Social Media Information:BFTB Facebook Page: Click here to like our pageBFTB Twitter: Follow @BFTB_ChargersThe Lightning Round Twitter: Follow @Lightning_RoundThe Lightning Round Facebook: Click here to like our pageBFTB Manager: Richard Wade: Follow @RichardWade