Takeaways from victory over Carolina Panthers

This was easily the best game of Johnston’s young career. The second-year wide receiver had two touchdowns on Sunday, matching his output from all of his rookie season a year ago.

Johnston got his first score of the season on a one-on-one ball against no. 1 Panthers corner Jaycee Horn, beating Horn for a 29-yard touchdown. The throw and catch looked exactly like what Chargers fans were expecting when Los Angeles drafted Johnston No. 21 overall last April. Johnston outran Horn down the sideline and then adjusted to a ball low and to the inside from Justin Herbert, who put it where only Johnston could get it.

On his second touchdown, Johnston ran a crossing route that went uncovered by the Panthers after Carolina linebacker Shaq Thompson crashed on a flat route. He made a wide-open catch from five yards away to put the Chargers up 13-0 in the second quarter.

Johnston’s emergence as a legitimate threat on the outside would be a boon for the Chargers, who currently lack a true no. 1 receiver. His 51 yards were nearly 40% of Herbert’s passing output for the game on Sunday.