Chargers takeaways: J.K. Dobbins' return a big help to offense

1

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Derius Davis hadn’t reached his full stretch, hadn’t reeled in his second touchdown in as many games and hadn’t yet gotten the Chargers on the scoreboard. Still, J.K. Dobbins was ready to celebrate.

The Chargers running back raised both hands once quarterback Justin Herbert threw the ball downfield and beat the referees at Gillette Stadium to the signal as Davis laid out for a flying touchdown catch.

Now, just like their running back, the Chargers don’t have to withhold their celebration.

The Chargers (10-6) safely clinched a berth in the postseason Saturday with a 40-7 win over the overwhelmed New England Patriots (3-13).

The Chargers have secured their third 10-win season in the last 15 seasons, and with an AFC West game against the Las Vegas Raiders to finish the regular season, they’re not content with just returning to the postseason for the first time since 2022.

“Eleven is better than 10,” coach Jim Harbaugh said.

Three things we learned from the victory:

2

Dobbins returns right in time

Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) falls into the end zone for a touchdown against the Patriots.

Dobbins was a spectator on Davis’ touchdown in the first quarter, running a shallow route out of the backfield in case Herbert needed a check-down option, but the running back quickly made his mark after one month on injured reserve.

Dobbins rushed for 76 yards and one touchdown in 19 carries with one catch for seven yards while stepping up for the injured Gus Edwards (ankle). Despite missing four games because of a knee injury, Dobbins has set career highs for scrimmage yards (983) and yards rushing (842) in a season, one year after suffering an Achilles injury.

The 25-year-old has fought back from two catastrophic injuries in three seasons to be a front-runner for NFL comeback player of the year. Getting into the end zone during his return was a “blessing,” Dobbins said, because it contributed to the Chargers’ playoff-clinching win.

When healthy, Dobbins never has missed the playoffs, he pointed out.

“I gotta have it. I gotta have it,” said Dobbins, who played in Baltimore the previous four seasons. “Gotta have a chance to win a Super Bowl.”

Needing their running game to click entering the most critical point of the season, the Chargers have rushed for 100 yards in consecutive games for the first time since Weeks 10 and 11.

The 117 yards on the ground against the Denver Broncos last week might have been more impressive than the 147 on Saturday as Denver had entered that game giving up just 98.6 yards per game on the ground, which ranked fifth in the NFL. The Patriots ranked 24th in yards rushing given up per game.

3

Offense hitting its stride

The Chargers' Quentin Johnston (1) finds running room after a catch against the Patriots.

While the defense has remained consistent most of the season, it often has been the offense’s up-and-down play that has kept the team from putting together the elusive four-quarter game.

Now, when they need it most, the Chargers are on their highest offensive swing of the season. They scored on seven consecutive drives after their game-opening punt Saturday before Herbert and many of the starters retreated to the sideline.

Combined with the second half of their Week 16 win over the Broncos, the Chargers have scored on 11 of the last 13 drives that had Herbert at quarterback or didn’t end with a clock-killing kneel-down. They matched a season high in points against the Broncos and eclipsed it against the Patriots.

“I feel like we’re right where we’re supposed to be,” receiver Quentin Johnston said Saturday. “We don’t want to peak too early as far as going into the playoffs, but I feel like we’re doing what we’re doing best. As long as we keep elevating each week, I feel like we’ll be all right.”

Johnston had five catches for 48 yards Saturday while former Texas Christian teammate Davis caught a touchdown pass for the second consecutive game. Davis, a second-year receiver whose impact mostly was limited to being a field-flipping returner, didn’t have a touchdown on offense before last week’s go-ahead score in the fourth quarter.

The first-quarter touchdown against the Patriots might have been more impressive than last week’s clutch play as Davis soared to snare the ball with his fingertips.

“Justin threw a dime and all I did was make a good play,” Davis said. “I just did what I do, what I prepared to do all week, which is to run away from my man.”

Davis has 60 yards on four catches in the last two games, surpassing his total yardage of 47 in the first 14 weeks.

4

With Harbaugh, no one’s got it better?

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh congratulates center Bradley Bozeman after a win over the Patriots.

From his couch last offseason, Daiyan Henley said a silent prayer. When he heard through the rumor mill that Harbaugh was in contention for the Chargers’ coaching position, he begged the football gods to make it so.

“He’s a winner everywhere he’s been,” the second-year linebacker said. “We just wanted that mentality. And here he is, exactly what we thought he was is exactly who he is.”

Harbaugh’s influence on the team that went 5-12 last season could be felt by players immediately. By organized team activities, Dobbins — signed as a free agent — could tell the Chargers could make the playoffs. He knew they had the talent. With Harbaugh, they also had the culture.

“Usually when teams are talented but they lose, it’s usually a culture thing or something like that, along those lines,” Dobbins said. “And he’s changed the culture.”

Dobbins also credited first-time general manager Joe Hortiz for reconfiguring the roster and loading the locker room with winning players. Although the credit often is directed toward Harbaugh, the coach hoped to deflect as much as possible Saturday.

“There’s no coach who could have it better than to be coach of these players,” Harbaugh said. “Nobody. Maybe the only one would be future us.”

The future Chargers got help from the Cincinnati Bengals, who knocked off the Broncos 30-24 in an overtime thriller Saturday. The Denver loss guaranteed the Chargers at least the No. 6 seed in the AFC.

They can move up to No. 5 — lining up a road playoff game in Houston — with a win against the Raiders and a Steelers loss to the Bengals, who need a win in Pittsburgh to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.