Jim Harbaugh made a strong first impression in his debut as Chargers coach, and the team pulled off a 22-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at SoFi Stadium despite a suffocating defense.
After losing eight of their last nine games, the Chargers ushered in their new era with a dominant defense that allowed just one touchdown and forced three turnovers. Running back JK Dobbins came alive in the second half, rushing for 131 of his 135 yards after the halftime break as the Chargers (1-0) avenged an embarrassing 42-point loss to the Raiders last December.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert threw the game-winning touchdown to rookie receiver Ladd McConkey with 3:40 left. Herbert, returning from a broken finger that sidelined him for the end of last season, completed 17 of 26 passes for 144 yards.
Read more: From player to coach: Jim Harbaugh gives his Chargers fighting spirit
In the first half, the Chargers failed to score a touchdown after two Raiders turnovers that put them in opposing territory. Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II gave the Chargers an inexplicable fumble when the ball slipped out of his hand on a screen pass attempt with 1 minute, 22 seconds left in the first half. Khalil Mack scooped up the loose ball and brought the Chargers to the Raiders 12-yard line.
But the Chargers only managed another five yards, settling for a 25-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker, who had earlier kicked a 53-yard kick in the first quarter after the Chargers had a fourth-and-1 stop at the Raiders’ 41-yard line.
Mack, who set a career-high with 17 sacks last season, had 1½ sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a deflected pass that led to a fourth-quarter interception by defensive lineman Poona Ford.
Read more: 🏈 Chargers-Raiders recap
The only defensive blunder was a comical mistake when Asante Samuel Jr. missed a tackle by Raiders running back Alexander Mattison and the Chargers cornerback brought down teammate Daiyan Henley as the linebacker rushed to help. Undeterred, Mattison ran into the end zone and scored a 31-yard touchdown.
The Chargers won their fourth consecutive game against their AFC West rivals at SoFi Stadium, where the Raiders regularly have a clear advantage in the stands.
The Raiders players waved their arms toward the crowd on crucial third downs to create more noise. After scoring their final touchdown, it was the Chargers players who cheered on the home crowd.
Get the day’s best, most interesting and weirdest stories from the LA sports scene and beyond from our newsletter, The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
