The Chargers asserted their dominance in Week 2 with a 26-3 victory over the Panthers. Jim Harbaugh’s unit took control from the start, and once again, Justin Herbert didn’t have to do much through the air.
Once again, several guys stepped up to help the team improve to 2-0. Harbaugh spoke at length about the complete team effort and the overall depth of the squad.
“We had 22 players who played on defense. The rotations were really good. More importantly, anytime anybody went in, they played really well.”
As mentioned, 22 defensemen saw time on the field for the Chargers on Sunday. Multiple guys received game balls for their performances, and rightfully so. Most notably, Elijah Molden and Daiyan Henley were two of the defenders that delivered in a big way for Los Angeles.
Molden is the perfect example of the depth that Harbaugh mentions. He’s been with the team for less than a month and was able to snag a crucial interception along with six total tackles. Molden stepped in while Alohi Gilman was sidelined with an injury.
While the start to the season has been promising, the Chargers did face the worst team in the NFL on Sunday. They’ll face a stiffer challenge in Week 3 in a battle of two undefeated teams. The Chargers face Mike Tomlin and the Steelers in Week 3, which will really be a battle in the trenches.
We’ll see if defensive coordinator Jesse Minter can continue to use rotations in order to keep his guys fresh. The Steelers offense has scored just 31 points in their first two games, a large part in which has been due to their lack of playmakers. For Minter though, If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and so far, it hasn’t been broke for the Chargers.