Chargers head to Carolina after beating the Raiders

As the late great UCLA head basketball coach John Wooden would often say, "Succeeding is performing at your best when your best is required. Your best is required each day." Apparently, the Los Angeles Chargers are learning that lesson under new head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Harbaugh and the Chargers came from behind last Sunday at SoFi Stadium to defeat the Las Vegas Raiders, 22-10. The Chargers trailed at halftime 7-6 and had just two first downs and 83 yards in total offense in the in the first half. They had just 20 yards rushing on 9 carries in the first half. They were 0 for 7 on third down conversions.

But in the second half, the Chargers brought their best when their best was required and dominated the Raiders. No one did that better than running back J.K. Dobbins. The Chargers rushed for 156 yards in the second half, with Dobbins gaining 131 rushing yards on 8 carries, adding an 11-yard touchdown run in the process. Dobbins finished the game with 10 carries for 135 yards.

A 46-yard run by Dobbins set up a 24-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker, his third of the day to give the Chargers a 9-7 lead with 9:08 remaining in the third quarter, a lead that they would never relinquish. A Dobbins 12-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, capping a six play, 61-yard drive, gave the Chargers a 16-7 lead.

Dobbins followed that up with a 61-yard run that set up the Chargers final score, a ten-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Herbert to rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey, giving the Chargers a 22-10 lead with 3:40 remaining in the game.

Harbaugh was ecstatic with the victory over the Raiders. The defense had four sacks and created three turnovers, holding the Raiders to just ten points. The running game in the second half was exactly what Harbaugh envisioned for his team. Kicker Dicker nailed all three field goal attempts, including a 53-yard second quarter field goal for the Chargers first three points of the game.

"It was a great performance, an inspired performance," Harbaugh said. "I thought it was lights out really, really great defense by our guys. I'm just super happy about it, the whole team was inspired by the defensive play. When we had to be our best, we were our best. 'Being at your best when your best is needed most,' John Wooden, Coach Wooden there."

The Wooden reference was interesting. Harbaugh likes to say, "Attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind." The similarities with Wooden are interesting. The Chargers have always had talent, but they now look like a team that can find a way to win a game that in the past they would have found a way to lose.

Harbaugh praised Dobbins for "an incredible game, breaking those two long runs," and praised his outside linebacker Joey Bosa who, "played lights out in this game. He caused the other fumble that was huge." Bosa had six solo tackles in the game, including a sack and a forced fumble.

The Dobbins and Nosa, the two former Ohio State stars, who have both struggled with injuries in the NFL, could end up being key to any Charger success this season if they can stay healthy. In high school in La Grange, Texas, Dobbins ran a 4.45 forty and had a vertical leap of 43.1 inches. Dobbins rushed for 2,003 yards in his junior season at Ohio State. He is a dynamic running back if he can stay healthy.

With the victory, the Chargers are 1-0 and tied for first place in the AFC West with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers will travel to Charlotte, North Carolina to take on the Carolina Panthers. The game will be played Sunday, September 15, with the game starting at 10 a.m. locally and will be televised on KCBS Channel 2 in Los Angeles.

The Panthers lost their opening game on the road to the New Orleans Saints, 47-10. The Panthers had the worst record in the NFL in 2023, going 2-15 for the season. Former Santa Ana Mater Dei high school star Bryce Young is the starting quarterback for the Panthers and has struggled. He does not have much offensive support around him.

In the Saints loss, Young completed 13 of 30 passes for 161 yards, with no touchdown passes and two interceptions. The Panthers rushed for just 58 yards on 20 carries, a 2.9 yard per carry average. The Panthers have not done a good job of acquiring talent either through the draft or through free agency.

The Chargers have not started the season 2-0 since the 2012 season. Getting a victory on the road against the Panthers this Sunday would be a great start for the Chargers as they navigate the early season schedule, which includes back-to back east coast road games in Week 2 against the Panthers and Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Kansas City Chiefs at home in Week 4.

The Chargers have announced that they will spend the week in Charlotte after the game against the Panthers. Harbaugh mentioned that "the 1 p.m. Eastern Time kickoff really necessitates, that's 10 o'clock our body time, getting acclimated to that. Plus, you take out the 20 or so hours of travel time. Other benefits, let's just focus on our football."