It was go-ahead touchdown run which ran the Los Angeles Chargers’ reputation right out of a rocking SoFi Stadium.
J.K. Dobbins’ 29-yard scoring rush with 18 seconds left iced the Chargers’ 34-27 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in a thriller of a Sunday night game.
But it was not so much how L.A. won, it was how they didn’t lose.
The Chargers, dating to when they hung their shingle in San Diego, were known for failing from ahead. Few squads found more unimaginable ways to avoid a near-certain trip to the winner’s circle than L.A.
It was called “chargering” a made-up verb which succinctly revealed the Chargers’ tale of consistently stubbing their toe when trying to put their best foot forward.
L.A. flirted with a disaster against the Bengals that had their long-time fans squirming and covering their eyes.
Yep, the Chargers were ahead by 21 points in the second half.
Yep, the Bengals tied the game with a furious rally behind quarterback Joe Burrow and a stingy defense.
Nope, a hiccup wasn’t going to be produced on Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh’s watch, yet another reason why he was the recipient of a five-year, $80 million contract.
“That was a signature win right there,’’ Harbaugh said in a jubilant locker room. “That was a big, big, big, big-time win.’’
The Bolts (7-3) paid the big bucks to Harbaugh for games just like Sunday’s. Instead of flinching when the road turned bumpy, L.A. won its fourth straight game and just maybe buried a persona which its tried to shake for years.
“You never even stumbled,’’ Harbaugh said before calling out his offense, defense and special teams for displaying backbone.
“Just because they got the momentum, didn’t mean they had it, we got it back,’’ Harbaugh said. “Nothing in that stadium can take us out of our game.
“Because I’m telling you I’ve seen this before. We got the right guys at the right time. You feel it, don’t you?’’
Harbaugh asked the question, but he knew the answer. Him being buried in a sea of high-fives proved that the tide has shifted for the Chargers.
That’s not to say L.A. didn’t get sand kicked in its face during a white-knuckle second half.
The Chargers’ three third-quarter possessions resulted in two punts and a field goal, with Cameron Dicker’s 53-yarder pushing L.A. ahead 27-6.
But L.A. continued to struggle offensively with drives ending in a punt, fumble, punt, punt and punt before Dobbins landed in the end zone to stiff-arm a valiant Bengals’ comeback after they tied the game.
A sure win had morphed from a likely loss into a victory that could resonate the rest of the season.
“Having coach Harbaugh and having the whole staff, I think, has shifted the culture here,’’ edge rusher Joey Bosa said. “It just feels different right now.’’
Things are changing fast for the Bolts, after they got fat on one of the NFL’s easiest schedules. Their opponents for the next month aren’t soft, which means it could get harder for a team which finished last year in the AFC West basement.
Yet it’s a bunch which is fortified with one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks in Justin Herbert, a remade defense which bent, but didn’t break, against the Bengals, a stout special-teams unit, and oh yeah, a coach whose resume is littered with reclamation projects that have produced a Super Bowl trip and a national championship.
Brother, what a metamorphosis it’s been for the Chargers under Harbaugh, and yes, he’ll face his sibling, John, the coach of the Baltimore Ravens, next Monday night.
Before that showdown the Chargers will marinate in a triumph that was dramatic and telling: Chargering just might have found its way to the dumpster.
Although the Bengals tested that theory.
“We fought back, had our opportunities to seal the deal,’’ Burrow said, “and we didn’t.’’
The Chargers’ key transaction came in January when their Harbaugh agreed to be their coach. It was a long-term investment that has provided early returns, with the biggest one shedding a reputation for losing late, despite being this close to winning.
“Props to the guys for sticking through it,’’ said Herbert, who threw for two touchdowns and 297 yards, with a team-high 65 yards rushing.
A tip of the hat to the Chargers’ ownership for shedding its penny-pinching ways when hiring leaders.
Instead of lassoing inexpensive, first-time head coaches, they shopped in the upscale aisle, swallowed hard, and scratched a bloated check to Harbaugh which has become a game-changer.
Don’t believe it?
We present Sunday night’s triumph, which despite the eye-opening cost to secure a proven coach, was priceless.
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