The Chargers came away with a win in the first game of the 2024 regular season, defeating the Raiders, 22-10.
After picking up the victory, let’s see what national analysts think of Los Angeles:
USA Today: 18
“Suffocating defense, relentless run game, physical fronts. HC Jim Harbaugh’s new team debuted as advertised. (And just wait until QB Justin Herbert gets to be a bigger part of the attack after passing for a meager 144 yards Sunday.)”
NFL: 12
“Ye of little faith, chiding me on social media for my unbridled belief in Jim Harbaugh and the new-blood Chargers! (Don’t worry — your chances to roast me come further down.) Get used to this kind of final score — 22-10 — because I think this is how the Chargers are going to try to (and likely have to) win games this season. The 10 part — as in the work the defense did — is a nice change of pace in Chargers country after last season, although the Raiders and their lackluster offense were part of that equation. There’s still some tidying needed in the Bolts’ secondary, and I fear the lack of weapons for Justin Herbert, but the encouraging debut of J.K. Dobbins and a hard-earned win made for a solid launching pad for the Harbaugh era.”
ESPN: 17
Best newcomer performance: RB J.K. Dobbins
“Dobbins, who signed a one-year deal with Los Angeles this offseason, broke free for two long runs (41 and 61 yards) that turned the game around for the Chargers’ stalling offense. He finished with 135 yards and one touchdown, the most yards by a Chargers RB in a season opener. Dobbins probably would have had more yards, but he was caught from behind and tackled by Raiders defenders on both big gains. Dobbins was disappointed about that postgame, saying he needed to get in shape.”
CBS Sports: 18
“Jim Harbaugh will fix this team, but it might not happen this year. They will be physical and tough to beat on a weekly basis, but watch out next season.”
Sports Illustrated: 15
“This wasn’t a flawless victory for the Chargers but it was the first step in a long process that will prolong Justin Herbert’s career and save his inner assassin for only the dire moments. Being steeped in the college game is invaluable for coaches who have an eye for allowing quarterbacks to do less and get more at the same time.”
Bleacher Report: 19
“…Now, one win over a Raiders team that looked, um, ungood in Week 1 does not fix all the issues the Chargers have. But the team has some momentum heading into next week’s trip to Carolina to face the hapless Panthers. A 2-0 record heading into a Week 3 trip to Pittsburgh would be a nice start to the Harbaugh era.”