North Charlotte Today

The Panthers fell 26-3 to the Chargers at home, marking their second consecutive loss of the season and dropping their record to 0-2. Unlike last week's swift defeat in New Orleans, this game saw a more gradual decline.

The Panthers' defense initially managed to contain the Chargers' run game and forced some turnovers. However, offensive struggles persisted as the team amassed only 159 total yards and converted just one out of twelve third-down attempts.

Quarterback Bryce Young faced another challenging game. The second-year quarterback's cautious early passes yielded limited success, with his sole deep attempt resulting in an interception. Young completed 8-of-10 passes for 22 yards in the first half with an interception, earning a passer rating of 39.6 for the initial half-hour. He concluded the game with 18 completions on 26 attempts for a total of 84 yards and one interception, culminating in a passer rating of 57.2.

Meanwhile, the Chargers methodically increased their lead through persistent rushing efforts, finishing with a total of 219 rushing yards. Running back JK Dobbins led with 17 carries for 131 yards, including a significant 43-yard touchdown run, while Gus Edwards contributed an additional 59 yards on 18 carries.

The Panthers' defense struggled without Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown due to his season-ending knee injury sustained last week. Cornerback Jaycee Horn had a mixed performance; he experienced an overturned forced fumble call followed by conceding a touchdown pass to Quentin Johnson but later secured an interception and made crucial stops.

Another turnover was generated by defensive lineman Jayden Peevy's sack on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, assisted by outside linebacker DJ Johnson who caused a fumble that linebacker Josey Jewell recovered, thwarting a potential scoring drive from the Chargers.

### Breakline ###