J.K. Dobbins' turnaround season for the LA Chargers has been one of the best storylines in 2024. Unfortunately, the storyline took a pause this past week when Dobbins injured his knee against the Baltimore Ravens and landed on the injured reserve.
Dobbins has been the engine of the Chargers' offense thus far this season and the Chargers' run game has been virtual nonexistent outside of him. Fans had no idea what a Dobbins-less Chargers offense would look like, with many bracing for the worst.
Well, it took just one drive for Chargers fans to get a taste of life without Dobbins. Facing a third-and-one in Atlanta territory, Justin Herbert handed the ball off to former Michigan running back Hassan Haskins, who fumbled the ball right away before even reaching the line of scrimmage.
Atlanta recovered and went on to score a rather easy touchdown on the ensuing drive.
Chargers' first drive without J.K. Dobbins could not have gone worse
The Chargers head into the Atlanta game with a laundry list of injuries on both sides of the ball. With Jesse Minter's defense not looking like the same unit, the Chargers went into the game knowing the team would have to win an offensive shootout.
Fumbling on the first drive of the game in a situation where Dobbins has thrived all season is a bad omen for the rest of the game. If the Chargers don't get off the saddle then an ugly road loss could be in store for the Bolts.
It wasn't just the fumble on third and one, either. Gus Edwards was handed the ball on the first play of the game and picked up all of one yard. That one yard would have been nice on the third down carry.
This does raise the question, though: why was Haskins of all players getting a carry on third and short? He was lined up in the fullback position ahead of Kimani Vidal and it is not inherently bad for a fullback carry on third and one.
However, why wasn't that Edwards? Why trust in a special teams player over the first running back the team signed, or the running back the team took in the sixth round? Haskins is a physical player, sure, but he has been less than impressive on offense this season.
If the first drive without J.K. Dobbins is an omen for the next four weeks without him then the Chargers might be in real trouble.