CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Chargers ran and ran and ran some more Sunday at Bank of America Stadium, and it wasn’t long before they had secured a 26-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers and their first 2-0 start to a season since 2012. Their offensive line pushed and pushed and pushed some more.
J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards and even quarterback Justin Herbert rushed through the holes and helped to produce a resounding victory against an overmatched opponent. Dobbins rushed for 131 yards on 17 carries, the first Chargers running back with back-to-back 100 yards games to start a season.
Dobbins had 135 yards in last Sunday’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Edwards gained 59 yards on 18 carries and Herbert added 18 on six carries.
Herbert tossed first-half touchdown passes of 29 and 5 yards to wide receiver Quentin Johnston and Dobbins scored on a 43-yard run as the Chargers raced to a 20-0 lead by halftime. Herbert completed 14 of 20 passes for 130 yards with two touchdowns and one interception by game’s end.
That was only half the story, though. The Chargers’ defense stuffed the Panthers at almost every turn, much as they did during a 22-10 victory last Sunday over the Raiders at SoFi Stadium. At one point, late in the first half Sunday, the Panthers had zero first downs and 20 total yards of offense.
Elijah Molden, filling in for injured safety Alohi Gilman, ended one Carolina possession with an interception of Panthers quarterback Bryce Young. The Panthers had finally gotten their first first down on an 11-yard run by Chuba Hubbard, but Molden picked off Young on the next play with 3:27 left in the half.
Dobbins then raced 43 yards for a touchdown and a commanding 20-0 lead. One week after he had 135 yards against the Raiders, he helped the Chargers gain 134 yards in the first half alone. It was the most they had in a half since rushing for 135 against the Cleveland Browns during the 2022 season.
Game over.
Or so it seemed.
The teams traded field goals in the third quarter and the Chargers led 23-3. Cameron Dicker’s 42-yard field goal then extended the lead to 26-3 with 11:02 remaining in the game. Dicker missed the first extra point of his career, after the first of Herbert’s TD throws, but made field goals of 46 and 42 yards.
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