A lingering rib injury threatened to sideline Justin Herbert entering Week 3, but the Chargers quarterback managed to take the field for Sunday’s home game against the Jaguars.
Listed as a game-time decision coming into the contest, Herbert played for L.A. just 10 days after suffering a rib cartilage fracture against the Chiefs in Week 2. However, the third-year signal-caller was unable to lead his team to a victory in a contest that saw the Chargers struggle on both sides of the ball en route to a 38–10 loss.
Herbert, who reportedly mulled taking a pain-killing injection prior to the game, battled through the pain and finished the game 25-of-45 for 297 yards and a touchdown with one interception and a lost fumble. After the game, Chargers coach Brandon Staley told reporters the club anticipates a challenging road ahead for the ailing young star as he continues his recovery.
“This injury is going to be there for awhile,” Staley said, per ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry.
Given the circumstances surrounding Herbert’s health, Staley also addressed a curious decision he and his staff made in the closing moments of Sunday’s rout. After Jacksonville increased its game-long lead to 28 points following Trevor Lawrence’s third TD, the Chargers offense trotted Herbert and the rest of the starters out to the field with 4:47 to go in the fourth quarter.
“He wanted to be out there with his teammates,” Staley explained, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.
Herbert echoed his coach’s sentiments while explaining why he remained in the contest.
“I felt like I was safe out there and I didn’t want to quit on my team,” he said, according to ESPN.
While questions regarding Herbert’s well-publicized injury are sure to persist in the coming weeks, the Chargers and their fans will spend the next few days reflecting on the Jaguars’ impressively dominant performance.
In a battle of former first-round picks, Lawrence (2021, first overall), out-dueled Herbert (2020, fifth overall) to lead the Jags to their first road win since 2019. Lawrence ended the day 28-of-39 for 262 yards and three TDs.
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