Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) scores a fourth-quarter touchdown past Raiders safety Tre’von Moehrig (7).
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Chargers averaged just 2.2 yards per carry in the first half, running the ball nine times to 13 passing attempts. The sluggish start didn’t deter the Chargers from sticking with the running game, however, and it paid off with 176 yards in 27 carries that helped balance Justin Herbert’s 144 yards on 17 of 26 passing. It’s the most yards rushing for the Chargers since 233 in a loss to the Miami Dolphins in the 2023 season opener.
“[We’re] not just pounding a rock though, but pounding in the pass game, pounding in general,” said running back J.K. Dobbins, who finished with 135 yards and one touchdown in 10 carries. “We’re gonna keep fighting, gonna keep believing, and eventually the rock will crack.”
Dobbins delivered the first major blow with a 47-yard run on the fourth play of the Chargers’ first drive in the third quarter. He scored his first touchdown in almost a year on the first play of the fourth quarter and — after missing all but one game last season with a torn Achilles — Dobbins played a critical role in the decisive 92-yard touchdown drive that cemented the win.
Leading by six after the Raiders punted on fourth and one with 7:09 to go, offensive tackle Rashawn Slater asked Dobbins to carry the team home. The 25-year-old Houston native responded with a 61-yard run on the next play.
“He’s a dog,” Slater said.
After the long layoff, Dobbins admitted his conditioning is not in top physical shape yet. He lamented getting chased down by defenders on both of his long runs. Dobbins was one of the several starters who didn’t play during the preseason.
“We don’t care about stats, we don’t care about status,” Dobbins said. “We care about winning as a family.”