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Jim Harbaugh's first game back in the NFL after spending several years as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines was a success. On Sunday, Harbaugh's Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders at home to the tune of a 22-10 score.
But apart from handling the coaching duties from the sidelines, Harbaugh also had himself trying to prevent an all-out fight in the back of the end zone in the fourth quarter between Chargers and Raiders players. The two main combatants in the scuffle were Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer and Raiders defensive back Jack Jones.
“Just trying to get our guys back, get 'em separated, keep the rest of the guys coming,” Harbaugh said following the game, per Kris Rhim of ESPN. “I just tried to break it up.”
The brawl happened after the Raiders prevented Los Angeles veteran running back Gus Edwards from scoring on a two-point conversion try following a touchdown reception by rookie wideout Ladd McConkey off of a pass from LA quarterback Justin Herbert that put the Chargers ahead by 12 points.
Despite the ugly nature of that moment, Palmer does not seem to be harboring ill will against Jones.
“It's not personal. There's no bad blood,” Palmer said following the Chargers's Week 1 win in Inglewood. “UFC guys beat up each other for a living, then they go back and shake hands. Especially in football, it's nothing like that. But it's not personal at all. We just do our job as hard as we can. We're not trying to hurt anybody,” Palmer added.
Jones was not present in the postgame press conference, but he was probably just frustrated at how things went for the Raiders. The third quarter ended with the Chargers leading just just two points. Los Angeles added to its lead early in the fourth quarter when running back JK Dobbins scored on a 12-yard rushing touchdown. Las Vegas scored the game's next points via a field goal by Daniel Carlson before McConkey's insurance TD for the Chargers.
Chargers to go all-out rushing the ball again in Week 2?
The Chargers leaned on their relentless ground attack in the Raiders game. Los Angeles sliced through the Raiders' defense for 176 rushing yards on 27 carries. That's an efficient 6.5 yards per carry for Los Angeles despite averaging only 2.2 yards per carry during the first two quarters of the game. Dobbins led LA on the ground with 135 rushing yards on just 10 carries.
Dobbins and the Chargers' backfield could have another big day in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers, who allowed 180 rushing yards in Week 1.
