When you have a franchise quarterback like Philip Rivers, passing should be your top priority. But the Chargers are finding that getting the ball to their running backs often enough is hard to do.

Melvin Gordon, the starting running back, has 24 carries for 92 yards this season, and he’s also leading the team with 15 catches. But backup running back Austin Ekeler has played very well: He’s averaging a whopping 7.3 yards per carry, with 116 yards on 16 carries, and he also has eight catches for 108 yards.

“You’ve got a guy like Austin that can do a couple of different things and he’s a great complement to Melvin,” Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt said. “The biggest challenge you face with that situation is how do you get them enough carries?”

The Chargers have a tough test against the Rams on Sunday, in a game where they’ll likely need big games from Rivers, Gordon and Ekeler if they’re going to pull the upset.