Tag: J.K. Dobbins

Chargers continue to climb in NFL power rankings after Week 11 win over Bengals

The Chargers received high praise from NFL analysts after their primetime win.

The Chargers improved to 7-3 after defeating the Bengals last Sunday night.

After Week 11, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 11 (Previous: 13)

“Sunday night saw their best offensive performance of the season … and worst showing on defense. But teammates pick one another up and vanquishing Cincy gives the Bolts a near-ironclad grip on a wild-card berth.”

NFL: 9 (Previous: 10)

“The Chargers made as wide a swing as was imaginable on Sunday night, looking like a dark-horse Super Bowl team in the first half, then nearly coughing up what would have been an inexcusable loss — one that would have also significantly damaged their playoff hopes. After opening the game scorching hot, Justin Herbert froze over pretty fast, going 5-for-18 passing at one point in the second half and missing two big throws to Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey. The QB’s early fourth-quarter fumble (Herbert’s first turnover since Week 2) led to the Bengals tying things up, and it looked like Cincinnati was going to walk out of there with a win. But Herbert hit McConkey for 28 and 27 yards in the final minute, and the Chargers escaped a game that had a playoff-like atmosphere. The competition only gets tougher from here on out, too, so they’d better be prepared for more of these types of battles.”

ESPN: 9 (Previous: 11)

Preseason hot seat: WR Quentin Johnston
Current temperature of hot seat: Cold

“After struggling with drops as a rookie, there were questions coming into this season about whether Johnston was an NFL-caliber wideout. He has silenced any doubt this season, with a team-high six receiving touchdowns. In L.A.’s win over Cincinnati, he became the first Charger since 2021 to have a receiving touchdown in three straight games. “Honestly, if nobody else believed in me, I still had full confidence in myself,” Johnston said. “It was just a matter of going out and proving it.”

CBS Sports: 9 (Previous: 9)

“Jim Harbaugh has this team playing good football. The defense got a little exposed against the Bengals, but they are better than that.”

Sports Illustrated: 8 (Previous: 9)

“The Chargers got the absolute best out of the Bengals not only offensively but defensively too. Justin Herbert threw a league high 27.8% of his throws into tight coverage on Sunday night against a very good—for one week at least—Bengals defense. Herbert also dealt with a paltry average wideout separation rating, which was more than a yard below the league leader from Sunday.”

Bleacher Report: 10 (Previous: 10)

“These Chargers are different. These Chargers didn’t find themselves Chargering late in the fourth quarter. The Bengals almost pulled off the biggest second-half comeback in franchise history. But Herbert, McConkey, and Dobbins didn’t let it happen thanks to a strong game-winning drive with less than a minute remaining. Head coach Jim Harbaugh is changing the attitude in the Chargers locker room. This squad earned its 7-3 record. It’ll be a difficult out for the rest of the season.”

Ladd McConkey’s dominant rookie campaign continues: ‘He’s a baller’

Ladd McConkey has been one of the league’s top rookie wide receivers.

The Chargers and Bengals were tied at 27 apiece and 45 seconds left in the game, and Los Angeles needed someone to step up on offense, which had stalled throughout the second half.

Rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey rose to the occasion.

McConkey reeled in two passes for 55 yards that set up J.K. Dobbins’ go-ahead touchdown run.

“When we needed an answer, Ladd made some big catches and we moved the ball,” quarterback Justin Herbert said.

The first reception went for 28 yards. McConkey was covered by Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton, and the former Georgia product climbed the ladder and made a great catch near the right sideline.

Two plays later, McConkey ran an excellent corner route to make himself open near the left sideline, and Herbert delivered a strike for a gain of 27 yards. Dobbins then sealed the deal.

McConkey finished the game with six catches for 123 yards, which is a career-high and the most by a Chargers rookie since Keenan Allen.

The connection between McConkey and Herbert has continued to strengthen week after week, and the numbers speak for themselves.

McConkey is up to a team-high 43 receptions and 615 yards, both of which are second-most among all rookie wide receivers.

“He’s a dude,” running back J.K. Dobbins said. “He’s a baller. He’s a playmaker.”

People were writing off the Chargers’ wide receiver room because of the lack of top-end talent, but McConkey has provided the much-needed boost and has grown into a role that he can be counted on in crunch time.

Chargers PFF grades: Best, worst performers in Week 11 win over Bengals

Spotlighting Pro Football Focus’ highest and lowest-graded Chargers players from the win over the Bengals.

In Week 11, the Chargers defeated the Bengals, 34-27.

En route to victory, there were some standout performers and others who did not contribute as much.

That said, here are the best and worst performers from Sunday’s contest, according to Pro Football Focus’ player grades.

Top 5 Offense

WR Ladd McConkey — 85.7

OT Joe Alt — 84.1

OL Trey Pipkins — 81.3

OT Rashawn Slater — 79.1

OL Zion Johnson — 77.4

Top 5 Defense

S Alohi Gilman — 83.3

LB Denzel Perryman — 75.1

CB Cam Hart — 74.3

S Derwin James — 72.8

DT Poona Ford — 69.2

Bottom 5 Offense

WR Joshua Palmer — 64.0

RB Gus Edwards — 63.5

WR Quentin Johnston — 61.3

FB Scott Matlock — 53.9

WR Jalen Reagor — 52.2

Bottom 5 Defense

LB Daiyan Henley — 55.5

EDGE Bud Dupree — 54.2

S Elijah Molden — 50.2

DT Otito Ogbonnia — 47.5

CB Ja’Sir Taylor — 38.9

Everything to know from Chargers’ win over Bengals

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ thrilling win over the Bengals.

What. A. Game.

The Chargers outlasted the Bengals on Sunday night, improving to 7-3.

Here’s our recap of the Week 11 win.

It was over when…

J.K. Dobbins rushed for a 29-yard touchdown with 18 seconds remaining.

Notable number

According to ESPN’s Benjamin Solak, Justin Herbert now has 15 game-winning drives in his career. Only Patrick Mahomes and Kirk Cousins have more since 2020 when Herbert entered the league.

3 stars of the game

  1. QB Justin Herbert: Herbert was lights out in the first half. While he wasn’t nearly as sharp in the second half, Herbert made two big throws on the final drive to guide the team to victory.
  2. WR Ladd McConkey: McConkey finished with 123 yards on six catches, including two big receptions on the final possession to put the Chargers in Bengals territory.
  3. RB J.K. Dobbins: Dobbins had 11 carries for 56 yards and two rushing touchdowns, including the game-winner.

Quick hits

  • Herbert delivered dime after dime in the first half, completing 10 of 14 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns. But that same level of play didn’t carry over into the second half.
  • The Chargers could not move the ball and went three and out on half of their offensive possessions, all while the Bengals crept back to tie the game off of 21 unanswered points, led by Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins.
  • The Bengals had two opportunities in the fourth quarter to take the lead, but Evan McPherson missed his go-ahead field goal attempts from 48 and 51 yards.
  • In previous years, Los Angeles would have blown that type of game (it gave me flashbacks to the playoff loss to the Jaguars). But the defense made a big stop at the end, Herbert rallied the offense with two big throws to McConkey, and Dobbins delivered the knockout punch.
  • Herbert finished the game 17-of-36 passing for 297 yards, two touchdowns, and five carries for 65 yards. While he didn’t benefit from some dropped passes, there were a few instances of him missing receivers in the second half. Herbert also lost a fumble early in the fourth quarter.
  • For the first time this season, the Chargers’ defense gave up more than 20 points. They allowed the Bengals to convert on all three of their fourth-down attempts. Cincinnati totaled 452 yards.

What’s next?

The Chargers host the Ravens next Monday night, Nov. 25, at 5:15 pm PT.

Chargers highlight: J.K. Dobbins goes airborne to extend the Chargers’ lead

Jim Harbaugh has the Bengals in his sights.

Jim Harbaugh has the Bengals in his sights.

After two stellar drives by Justin Herbert on an individual level, the quarterback sparked the Chargers’ fourth drive of the game with a 30 yard scramble to take the ball into Bengals territory. An outlet pass to Derius Davis on the following play got the ball into the red zone.

From there, it turned into Harbaugh-ball. Five of the Chargers’ next seven plays were runs, the first of which went for 9 yards as Gus Edwards plowed through the middle of the line. An incomplete pass by Herbert was wiped out by an unnecessary roughness penalty, giving Los Angeles first and goal from the 2.

After another incompletion by Herbert, the Chargers decided enough was enough. Los Angeles handed the ball to Hassan Haskins on the next two plays, but the running back was unable to reach the ball across the goal line, forcing the Chargers into a fourth and goal from the 1 yard line.

No worries, said Harbaugh, who put his offense out there to extend the lead. JK Dobbins took the handoff this time, diving over the middle of the offensive line for a 1 yard touchdown, his seventh score of the season.

The touchdown gave the Chargers a commanding 21-6 lead in the second quarter on Sunday Night Football.

https://x.com/chargers/status/1858336648121192468

Chargers crack top 10 in NFL power rankings after Week 10 win over Titans

The Chargers received high praise from NFL analysts after their third-straight win.

The Chargers improved to 6-3 after defeating the Titans last Sunday.

After Week 10, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 13 (Previous: 17)

“The league’s stingiest defense – it hasn’t allowed more than 20 points in a game – is about to get stern tests with the high-powered Bengals and Ravens headed to SoCal the next two weeks for prime-time showcases.”

NFL: 10 (Previous: 12)

“When it comes to wins, the Chargers have a type. They’ve scored between 22 and 27 points in each of their six victories, allowing 17 or fewer in all of them. The Titans scored late to hit 17, but the Chargers really choked them out in the second half with two long, draining touchdown drives and two quality stops on defense. The Bolts’ formula isn’t tricky, but it is effective. Defensively, Jesse Minter remains a prodigy, coordinating a smothering effort with two rookies starting at corner. The Chargers had seven sacks, and that was with Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa playing limited roles. Justin Herbert overcame what looked like a strip sack run back for a score before officials got the replay fix right. He played another composed game and was creative as a scrambler. The return of Gus Edwards also gave this offense a boost. Efficient ball all around, once again. It’s arguable the Chargers haven’t beaten a great team yet, but they have to be a pain to face off against.”

ESPN: 11 (Previous: 13)

Non-QB MVP: Running back J.K. Dobbins

“Dobbins has been the Chargers’ most impactful offseason signing, giving L.A. its best rushing offense since the days of LaDainian Tomlinson. After suffering a season-ending Achilles rupture in Week 1 of last season, Dobbins is having one of the best years of his career. Coach Jim Harbaugh has used postgame news conferences to campaign for Dobbins to be the Comeback Player of the Year. He is up to 670 yards and six touchdowns this season, which both rank in the NFL’s top 10.”

CBS Sports: 9 (Previous: 10)

“They can run it, throw it and play defense. Oh, they also have a great coach. This team will be dangerous come playoff time.”

Sports Illustrated: 9 (Previous: 11)

“As good as Justin Herbert’s day was, there was another score to Will Dissly that nearly happened. I’m not sure how Herbert feels about this, but I wonder if he would trade those outlier Burrow-Jackson duel-under-the-lights games for what he has now: a more conservative approach that allows for some panache but keeps him mostly protected. He has gone from a top-third sacked player in the NFL to a middle-tier sacked player. That has to make a difference.”

Bleacher Report: 10 (Previous: 13)

“Jim Harbaugh was never likely to make the Chargers title contenders in his first season on the job. However, he has quickly forged a squad that, when healthy, has few real weaknesses. The defense is elite, the running game is above average, and quarterback Justin Herbert is thriving as a high-end game-manager.

With both Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey emerging as reliable receivers, the Chargers have become a well-balanced, well-coached team and talented enough that no one should want to see them in January.”

Chargers PFF grades: Best, worst performers in Week 10 win over Titans

Spotlighting Pro Football Focus’ highest and lowest-graded Chargers players from the win over the Titans.

In Week 10, the Chargers defeated the Titans, 27-17.

En route to victory, there were some standout performers and others who did not contribute as much.

That said, here are the best and worst performers from Sunday’s contest, according to Pro Football Focus’ player grades.

Top 5 Offense

QB Justin Herbert — 91.6

FB Tucker Fisk — 73.8

OL Zion Johnson — 72.8

TE Will Dissly — 72.6

OT Joe Alt — 72.0

Top 5 Defense

EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu — 71.2

EDGE Bud Dupree — 69.1

CB Cam Hart — 67.4

DT Poona Ford — 67.3

DT Morgan Fox — 67.1

Bottom 5 Offense

WR Quentin Johnston — 55.7

RB J.K. Dobbins — 52.8

WR Jalen Reagor — 50.9

OL Foster Sarell — 50.0

FB Scott Matlock — 49.6

Bottom 5 Defense

S Alohi Gilman — 57.3

LB Denzel Perryman — 52.7

EDGE Joey Bosa — 51.1

DT Otito Ogbonnia — 45.0

DT Teair Tart — 34.2

Everything to know from Chargers’ win over Titans

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 27-17 win over the Titans.

The Chargers beat the Titans on Sunday afternoon, improving to 6-3.

Here’s our recap of the Week 10 win.

It was over when…

The Chargers scored their third touchdown in the fourth quarter to go up by 17 points.

Notable number

Of the Chargers’ six wins, five have come by double digits.

3 stars of the game

  1. QB Justin Herbert: Herbert only passed for 164 yards but still looked sharp in that department, finishing 14 of 18, with two going for over 30 yards and no turnovers. He also did an excellent job of using his legs when needed to pick up yards.
  2. RB Gus Edwards: Edwards returned to the field and was efficient on the ground after missing the last five games with an injury. He had 55 yards on ten carries.
  3. Defense: 7 sacks

Quick hits

  • Herbert failed to surpass 200 passing yards for the first time since Week 4. But he was still effective by navigating the pocket well, avoiding sacks, making crisp throws to his receivers, and continuing to take care of the football.
  • Herbert was also impressive as a runner, juking multiple Titans defenders, including former Chargers Kenneth Murray and Sebastian Joseph-Day.
  • The ground game came alive after taking a backseat the past few weeks, and Edwards provided the jolt as he averaged 5.5 yards per carry on ten attempts. J.K. Dobbins had 15 yards on 50 rushes.
  • Jesse Minter’s unit lived in the backfield and compiled seven sacks. Credit goes to Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Bud Dupree for stepping up with Khalil Mack on the sideline for nearly the entire game.
  • Daiyan Henley led the way with 14 tackles.
  • Speaking of tackles, the Chargers struggled with missed tackles, which has been a slight issue on the defensive side of the ball this season. The Titans averaged 6.3 yards per carry.
  • Derius Davis provided the special teams spark with a 56-yard kickoff return.

What’s next?

The Chargers host the Bengals next Sunday night, Nov. 11, at 5:20 pm PT.

Chargers surge in NFL power rankings after Week 9 win over Browns

Find out where the Chargers stand in the national eye after Week 9

The Chargers improved to 5-3 after defeating the Browns last Sunday.

After Week 9, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 17 (Previous: 18)

“As well as they’re generally playing – albeit against a fairly soft schedule – it’s probably premature for this ascending program to delve into the trade market. But at least the NFL thinks enough of the Bolts to trade them into Week 11’s Sunday night slot.”

NFL: 12 (Previous: 15)

“Their offensive line has been a disappointment this season, but boy, the Chargers play competitive, tough and smart football. A few plays really stood out for me in their deliberate dismantling of the Browns in Cleveland. The late block of a field-goal try, preventing the lead from shrinking to two scores, was a sign of how much better-coached this team is now under Jim Harbaugh and his staff. There also was some high football IQ on rookie Tarheeb Still’s brilliant tip to Elijah Molden in the end zone — one of three picks of Jameis Winston. Even the series of laterals on the final play of the first half looked well-executed, despite ultimately failing. In spite of two misses from reliable kicker Cameron Dicker and the shaky pass protection, the Bolts secured an extremely clean road victory and took an important step forward as they sharpen their gaze on claiming a playoff berth down the back stretch.”

ESPN: 13 (Previous: 17)

Most important game remaining: Week 12 vs. the Ravens

This game will be coach Jim Harbaugh’s first chance at revenge since losing to his brother, John, in Super Bowl XLVII with the 49ers. It will also be revenge for many of the Ravens’ castaways who are playing or coaching for Los Angeles. The Ravens are a Super Bowl contender, so the game will be a measuring stick for a Chargers team that has only one win over a team with a winning record, which came in Week 6 against the Broncos

CBS Sports: 10 (Previous: 16)

“They are really doing a lot of good things. The defense is special and few have noticed. It’s time we do.”

Sports Illustrated: 11 (Previous: 13)

“Tarheeb Still is another name that we didn’t know and now we know. The Chargers’ secondary was heavily dependent on rookie 2024 fifth-round draft picks and was the second best defense in the NFL on Sunday against a Browns offense that, the week prior, torched the Ravens. This is the difference between what kind of players Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz were able to bring in that the previous regime struggled to identify.”

Bleacher Report: 13 (Previous: 15)

“Kudos to head coach Jim Harbaugh for turning a once-laughable Chargers defense into a powerhouse. I think we all expected Harbaugh to make strides in the defensive department, but last year’s lack of efficiency and effort made this sort of jump feel unlikely. The Chargers have allowed only 101 points through eight games.

“There’s still room for improvement offensively, but things operate so much differently when wideouts Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey are healthy. The team we saw on Sunday isn’t just capable of making the playoffs. It’s capable of making the AFC’s top contenders nervous.”

Chargers PFF grades: Best, worst performers in Week 9 win over Browns

Spotlighting Pro Football Focus’ highest and lowest-graded Chargers players from the win over the Browns.

In Week 9, the Chargers defeated the Browns, 27-10.

En route to victory, there were some standout performers and others who did not contribute as much.

That said, here are the best and worst performers from Sunday’s contest, according to Pro Football Focus’ player grades.

Top 5 Offense

OT Rashawn Slater — 75.7

QB Justin Herbert — 74.7

WR Ladd McConkey — 72.6

WR Joshua Palmer — 70.8

WR Quentin Johnston — 70.1

Top 5 Defense

EDGE Khalil Mack — 89.0

LB Troy Dye — 86.9

S Derwin James — 85.7

S Alohi Gilman — 81.4

CB Tarheeb Still — 79.4

Bottom 5 Offense

OL Zion Johnson — 41.9

TE Will Dissly — 45.7

TE Eric Tomlinson — 51.5

RB Kimani Vidal — 51.9

WR Jalen Reagor — 53.8

Bottom 5 Defense

EDGE Joey Bosa — 46.0

CB Cam Hart — 47.6

DL Otito Ogbonnia — 48.0

LB Denzel Perryman — 53.3

EDGE Bud Dupree — 64.0