Chargers-Panthers takeaways: J.K. Dobbins rushes into the NFL spotlight

The Chargers were 25th in the NFL in yards rushing last season, averaging less than 100 a game. And that was actually an improvement from 2022, when they were third from the bottom in the league.

Yet two Sundays into the new season, the Chargers’ J.K. Dobbins leads the league with 266 yards rushing — an average of 9.8 yards a carry — and the team’s ground game ranks second.

For that you can credit new offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who worked with Jim Harbaugh at Stanford and with the San Francisco 49ers, then with Harbaugh’s brother, John, with the Baltimore Ravens, before joining the Chargers this season.

“Coach Roman’s trying to teach us is have a balance,” quarterback Justin Herbert said. “We’ve done a great job of running the first couple of games. Coach Roman, he’s done a great job getting us in a position to succeed.”

And Herbert might prove to be one of the chief beneficiaries of the approach. In each of his first three seasons, Herbert ranked among the top four NFL quarterbacks in attempted passes. He was also sacked a combined 101 times in those three seasons.

Roman’s balanced approach will force defenses to respect the run, however, which figures to give Herbert more time when he does drop back.

“It’s a little different,” Herbert said. “It’s definitely super helpful going out there and knowing that you can hand the ball to J.K. and Gus [Edwards] and they’re going to fight for every yard. And so when we take our shots, take what the defense gives us, especially in the passing game, it’s only going to help us.

“I think my job as a quarterback is just to be a point guard, to get them the ball, to get us in the right looks. Give the ball to the playmakers, let them go make the plays. As long as I’m doing that, I’m doing my job.”