Justin Herbert averaged more than 40 pass attempts per game during his first four years in the NFL. However, he’s only made 46 passes in his first two games with new coach Jim Harbaugh.
This is perfectly fine with the Chargers’ star quarterback.
The Chargers are now 2-0 for the first time since 2012, thanks to a balanced offense featuring running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, a strong offensive line, and a defense that is performing exceptionally well.
On Sunday, Dobbins rushed for 131 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown. Herbert demonstrated his ability to make key plays, throwing two touchdown passes to Quentin Johnston. The Chargers defeated the struggling Carolina Panthers 26-3 in their first road game.
“It’s really helpful knowing I can hand the ball to J.K. and Gus and they’ll fight for every yard,” Herbert said. “With a great offensive line that competes hard every play, it makes our passing game even more effective.”
The Chargers wore down the Panthers, rushing for 219 yards while limiting Carolina to just 159 total yards and seven first downs.
Second-year quarterback Bryce Young had another tough game, completing 18 of 26 passes for 84 yards with one interception. He was booed by the home crowd and has now lost 16 of his 18 starts.
The Panthers have been outscored 73-13 this season, but coach Dave Canales stated that Young will continue as the starting quarterback.
The Panthers, who were down 30-0 in the second quarter against New Orleans last week, were behind 20-0 at halftime after being outgained 204-54 before the break. The crowd gave a sarcastic cheer when Chuba Hubbard finally got the Panthers’ first down more than 25 minutes into the game.
“We were just trying to find some rhythm but never really managed to,” Canales said. “It was another frustrating day for everyone. I told the team to really value their effort and how they approached the work.”
The Chargers’ defense has allowed only 13 points in the first two games.
Los Angeles went ahead 6-0 on their opening drive when Herbert threw a precise 29-yard touchdown pass to Johnston, who got past Jaycee Horn.
“He placed the ball perfectly, showing everyone he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll rely on both the passing and running game, depending on what works best.”
Cameron Dicker missed an extra point, ending his streak of 60 consecutive successful kicks.
Horn evened things up on the next drive with an interception of Herbert at the Chargers’ 41-yard line. However, Young rolled out to the left and took a sack on third down, which took the Panthers out of field-goal range.
From there, it was all downhill for Carolina (0-2). Herbert threw another touchdown pass to Johnston, this time for 5 yards, thanks to a defensive breakdown by Carolina.
Dobbins then extended the lead to 20-0 with a 43-yard touchdown run, breaking a tackle by Xavier Woods and spinning into the end zone. He became the first NFL player since Jamal Lewis in 2003 to have three runs of at least 43 yards in the first two weeks of the season.
Herbert ended the game with 14 completions out of 20 attempts for 130 yards, and Johnston had five catches for 51 yards.
“My role as a quarterback is to act like a point guard, to get the ball to my teammates and set up the right plays,” Herbert said.
At times, it seemed like the Panthers were trying to prevent the score from getting worse, running the ball twice in the final minutes of the third quarter while down by 20. This strategy upset the fans, many of whom left before the fourth quarter.
Carolina didn’t attempt any long passes.
“I trust Coach’s game plan,” Young said about the team’s offensive strategy. “We just need to execute better. I have complete faith in the coach. Ultimately, it starts with me. I need to do a better job executing.”
Regarding the boos, Young said he values the passion of the fans.
But two weeks into the season and coming off a 2-15 record from last year, the frustration seems to be building in Carolina. At one point, Adam Thielen was seen shouting on the sideline, and Diontae Johnson was talking to Young.
“Obviously it’s frustrating,” Young said. “On the sideline, I was trying to get things right for the next series and for the future. I want to be constructive and ensure we’re communicating. We all have emotions and are competitive.”
