The Raiders Jakobi Meyers (16) is tripped up the Chargers Alohi Gilman (32) during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) hangs his head after another 3-and-out against the Raiders during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Raiders Davante Adams (17) catches a pass in the Chargers secondary during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Quentin Johnston (1) looks for running room against the Raiders Robert Spillane (41) during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Joey Bosa (97) celebrates after sacking Raider quarterback Gardner Minshew II during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Raiders Michael Mayer (87) is tackled by the Chargers Denzel Perryman (6) during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Derius Davis (12) looks for room to run following a kickoff as the Raiders Isaiah Pola-Mao (20) defends during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Chargers quarter Justin Herbert (10) looks for running room during the first half as the Raiders Marcus Epps (1) defends at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Derius Davis (12) is stopped the Raiders Tyreik McAllister (32) during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Quentin Johnston (1) looks for running room against the Raiders during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Joey Bosa (97) celebrates after sacking Raider quarterback Gardner Minshew II during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Raiders’ Alexander Mattison (22) celebrates with teammate Davante Adams (17) after scoring during the first half to give the Raiders an early lead over the Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Raiders Jakobi Meyers (16) is tripped up the Chargers Alohi Gilman (32) during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Quentin Johnston (1) looks for running room against the Raiders during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Charger quarterback Justin Herbert throws a screen pass against the Raiders during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Chargers starting quarterback Justin Herbert converses with new head coach Jim Harbaugh during pregame warmups prior to playing the visiting Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Chargers starting quarterback Justin Herbert converses with new head coach Jim Harbaugh during pregame warmups prior to playing the visiting Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
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The Raiders Jakobi Meyers (16) is tripped up the Chargers Alohi Gilman (32) during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in a National Football League (NFL) AFC West Division season opening game for both teams. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
INGLEWOOD — Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers coaching debut and his return to the NFL after nine seasons at the University of Michigan was many things at many times Sunday at an overheated SoFi Stadium. Mostly, it was a grind. Nothing fancy. Nothing all that remarkable beyond the final score.
In the end, the Chargers won a defensive battle with the Las Vegas Raiders, a hard-earned 22-10 victory earned thanks, in part, to three field goals from Cameron Dicker plus Justin Herbert’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Ladd McConkey and J.K. Dobbins’ 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Dobbins gained 135 yards on 10 carries to lead the Chargers’ offense.
Above all, the Chargers won their season opener with a swarming defense that kept the Raiders’ big plays to a minimum. Defensive lineman Poona Ford and edge rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack seemed to be everywhere all at once, along the line of scrimmage and in the Raiders’ backfield, too.
Ford intercepted a pass tipped by Mack in the closing minutes.
The turf at SoFi was not a place for the faint of heart. The hits were hard and never ending and things reached a boiling point after Gus Edwards’ two-point conversion run failed and the Chargers’ Joshua Palmer and the Raiders’ Jack Jones began a shoving match that nearly escalated.
Cooler heads, including Harbaugh, broke up a potential melee.
The defenses ruled the first half, especially, although each team suffered self-inflicted wounds in what was a hard-hitting start to the season. The Chargers were penalized five times in the first half, including four times for false starts. The Raiders gifted the Chargers their six points in the half.
First, Las Vegas coach Antonio Pierce decided to go for it on fourth down and 1 at his own 41-yard line. Zamir White lost a yard when the Chargers’ Poona Ford thumped him to the turf for a 1-yard loss, setting up Dicker for a 53-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead with 4:22 left in the first quarter.
Next, after Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II connected with running back Alexander Mattison for a 31-yard touchdown play, Minshew flubbed a pass attempt into the left flat. The play was ruled a fumble and Khalil Mack pounced on the loose ball to give the Chargers a first down at the Raiders’ 12.
Herbert couldn’t convert from there and Dicker was summoned to kick a 25-yard field goal to cut the Chargers’ deficit to 7-6 with 26 seconds left in a less-than-stellar first half. Blame the defenses because they were excellent right from the beginning; the offenses were nothing of the sort.
Dicker’s third field goal, this one from 24 yards, gave the Chargers a 9-7 lead with 9:08 remaining in the third quarter. The Chargers’ defense held the Raiders scoreless for the rest of the quarter and Dobbins extended their lead to 16-7 with a 12-yard TD run on the first play of the fourth.
Daniel Carlson’s 32-yard field goal cut the Chargers’ lead to 16-10.
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