JK Dobbins ran for 135 yards and a touchdown, while Cameron Dicker booted three field goals to help the Los Angeles Chargers usher in the Jim Harbaugh era with a commanding 22-10 triumph over the Las Vegas Raiders on a defensively dominant Sunday in Inglewood, Calif.
Despite initial stumbles on offense, the Chargers made a substantial impact defensively, forcing three turnovers and recording three sacks. Joey Bosa, a star defensive back, not only registered a sack but also forced a fumble. His partner in defensive havoc, Khalil Mack, contributed with a fumble recovery and one and a half sacks.
Chargers’ quarterback Justin Herbert connected on 17 of his 26 passes, amassing 144 yards and capping off his day with a 10-yard touchdown strike to rookie Ladd McConkey with 3:40 left in the contest, marking McConkey’s first NFL touchdown.
After steering Michigan to a national championship last season, Harbaugh’s return to the NFL comes after a triumphant 44-19-1 record over four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (2011-14).
The Raiders debuted their new starting quarterback, Gardner Minshew, who went 25 of 33 for 257 yards and a touchdown. New feature back Zamir White gained 44 yards on 13 carries, while tight end Brock Bowers snagged six receptions for 58 yards.
Dicker opened the scoring with a 53-yard field goal in the first quarter, giving the Chargers a 3-0 lead. The Raiders responded promptly, producing a 67-yard drive that culminated in a 31-yard touchdown pass from Minshew to Alexander Mattison, putting Las Vegas up 7-3 by the quarter’s end.
Following a Minshew fumble, the Chargers found themselves on the Raiders’ 12-yard line late in the first half but managed only 5 yards in three plays before Dicker kicked a 25-yard field goal, trimming the deficit to a single point.
In the third quarter, Dicker continued his accurate kicking, banging in a 24-yard field goal to edge the Chargers ahead 9-7 with 9:08 remaining.
Herbert’s final touchdown pass, aimed at McConkey, capped off an impressive eight-play, 92-yard drive, sealing the victory. The triumph was further solidified when Poona Ford picked off a Minshew pass with 1:44 left on the clock.
The Jim Harbaugh era is off to a blazing start, a tantalizing prelude to what promises to be an electrifying season of Chargers football!
