The Chargers had no trouble handling the Panthers in Week 2, coming away with a 26-3 victory in Charlotte.
Los Angeles ran all over Carolina, finishing with 219 yards on the ground. After a strong season opener, the J.K. Dobbins once again led the way with 131 yards — including a 43-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter.
Quarterback Justin Herbert even had 18 yards on the ground, with one of his carries going for 13 yards.
While Herbert had two turnovers — a pick and a fumble — he was mostly efficient throughout the contest. He finished 14-of-20 for 130 yards with two touchdowns.
After the play where he fumbled in the second half, Herbert got up slowly and briefly went into the sideline medical tent. But he did not miss a snap and was back on the field for Los Angeles’ next possession.
Receiver Quentin Johnston had the first multi-touchdown game of his career, as he opened the scoring with a 29-yard scoring strike in the first quarter. He then caught a 5-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
On the other side, Carolina’s offense once again looked listless. Quarterback Bryce Young struggled mightily, finishing 18-of-26 for just 84 yards with an interception. He was 8-of-10 for 22 yards in the first half.
The Panthers were 1-of-12 on third down and recorded just seven first downs.
By contrast, Los Angeles was 9-of-14 on third down and had 21 first downs.
The Chargers are now 2-0 for the first time since 2012. The club will stay in Charlotte for the week before taking on the Steelers in Pittsburgh next Sunday.
Carolina is 0-2 and it looks like it could be a long season ahead. The Panthers will be on the road to face the Raiders next week.
