NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
Coach Jim Harbaugh emphatically congratulates J.K. Dobbins after the Chargers running back’s touchdown in the fourth quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The heat was blistering, the fans were jeering, the knockout punch was looming.
Late Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium, the stage was set for the continuation of a long-standing tradition fostered by a certain local team’s consistent meltdowns.
Except these Chargers didn’t “Charger.”
These Chargers “Harbaughed.”
These Chargers fought back when the Las Vegas Raiders pushed them around, these Chargers stood up when the Raiders knocked them down, these Chargers found their strength when their ancestors have typically lost their will.
Read more: Chargers dominate on defense to open Jim Harbaugh era with a win over Raiders
These Chargers “Harbaughed,” which translated into using inspiration from their new coach to outslug the Raiders, 22-10, in a season opener that came with a statement.
Jim Harbaugh is the real deal.
The culture change is real. The locker-room belief is real. The results are real.
“We knew what we had to do,” said tackle Rashawn Slater. “And we did it.”
What they had to do was overcome a dreary first half and a late Raider charge to win in the fourth quarter. That’s exactly what they did, finishing two long touchdown drives in the final 15 minutes to create a new identity for this long-maligned franchise.
“When we had to be our best, we were our best,” said Harbaugh afterward outside a noisy locker room filled with giddy hope. “Being at your best when your best is needed most … John Wooden … coach Wooden there.”
Read more: From player to coach, Jim Harbaugh imbues his Chargers with a fighting spirit
He quotes the great philosophers, but he turns his players into street fighters, and that’s what he’s done here.
These Chargers will run the ball down your throat, ignoring the arm of great young quarterback Justin Herbert to slug it out in the trenches. They gained…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/plaschke-jim-harbaughs-reborn-chargers-022849779.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-09-09 02:28:49
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
