ClutchPoints
There are many reasons why the Los Angeles Chargers should not be 11-4. One reason they are is quarterback Justin Herbert. And his MVP performance versus the Cowboys is what the Chargers needed to be Super Bowl contenders.
Herbert completed 23 of 29 passes for a season-high 79%. He finished with 300 yards passing and two scores as the Chargers wrecked the Cowboys, 34-17, on Sunday. They improved to 11-4 on the season and appear to be a top contender to win the AFC.
And Herbert is the firestarter.
Somehow, Herbert has overcome a broken hand and managed to hit a high gear anyway. Herbert said he’s improving, according to ESPN.
“It’s getting better,” said Herbert, who broke the hand in the first game on the current winning streak. “I think the swelling’s going down. I’ve got much better grip on the ball now. And so I think every week, every day helps. And just getting used to it and allowing the bone to heal.”
The game plan behind a makeshift offensive line worked to near perfection.
“We got the ball out quick, had a great protection plan, and really were on our stuff this week,” Herbert said. “So it’s a shout out to the front five for just communicating, talking, and blocking as well as they did.”
Jim Harbaugh certainly saw the gemstone in Herbert’s performance, according to a post on X by Kris Rhim.
“It’s definitely MVP caliber,” Harbaugh said. “I mean, he’s doing things game after game that are reserved for only the best that are in the game and have ever played the game.”
It was easy to see how flawlessly Herbert played without much of a pass rush to hinder him, according to USA Today.
“Herbert had the kind of performance where his stat line finally matched the eye test,” Christian D’Andrea wrote. “This was a dazzling ‘what if’ performance from a player who has regularly showcased the peak of his potential but rarely been able to sustain it for a bevy of reasons. Week 16 gave us a glimpse of Herbert’s 2025 if both Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt were able to stay healthy along the offensive line. Factor in a useful run game led by a healthy-once-more Omarion Hampton. And you get to see Jim Harbaugh’s vision in closer focus.”
They aren’t the same without him, but the Chargers have a good overall team, according to chargers.com.
“We played close to our best game of the season in all three phases (against the Cowboys),” Harbaugh said. “Our team is player-led, player-driven. This was a player-led win. Coaching is good, coaching matters. But the players who are the ones leading this team.
“Our best playmakers and are our leaders are also the guys who work the hardest, care the most about the team. It’s unselfish.”
It’s coach-speak, but Herbert said the focus is pristine.
“I think the...
