Eric Williams
NFL reporter
Los Angeles Chargers defensive lineman Morgan Fox understands how a lot quarterback Justin Herbert means to his workforce’s success. The Bolts at the moment sit at 8-6 on the season and are within the midst of the AFC playoff dialog.
“It’s superb,” Fox advised FOX Sports. “He carries the burden of the world on his shoulders and all the time performs with the lights out. In the top, we’ve to provide him extra of the ball.”
Coach Jim Harbaugh constructed the most effective defenses within the league in his first season in Los Angeles, led by defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. But the Chargers proceed to go the best way Herbert does.
The 26-year-old sign caller has handled a sequence of nagging accidents this 12 months, together with a plantar fascia challenge in his foot that sidelined him throughout coaching camp, in addition to sprained ankles and a bruised thigh throughout the common season. However, the Oregon product did not miss a sport, throwing for two,959 yards, with 16 touchdowns and simply two interceptions for a passer ranking of 97.9.
Herbert and the Chargers face the most effective defenses within the league once they host the Broncos on Thursday night time. The Bolts might sweep Denver for the primary time since 2010, which might enhance Los Angeles’ playoff probabilities above 95%. If the Broncos win, they’d clinch a playoff berth for the primary time since 2015.
Denver and the Chargers are tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the most effective scoring protection within the NFL this season, every workforce permitting 17.6 factors per sport. The Broncos lead the NFL with 49 sacks.
Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman have constructed an offense that takes a conservative method, leaning on a top-notch protection and working sport to take the strain off Herbert to hold the offense. Throughout the primary half of the season, when JK Dobbins was wholesome, the working sport was efficient. Dobbins totaled 766 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 video games, averaging 4.8 yards per carry.
But since Dobbins went on reserve with a knee damage in Week 12, Los Angeles has struggled to run the soccer. The Chargers totaled simply 32 dashing yards on 11 dashing makes an attempt in final week’s humiliating 40-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — the fewest carries and dashing yards of any workforce Harbaugh led in his profession skilled coach.
The Chargers have rushed for fewer than 100 yards in every of their final 4 video games, and are averaging simply 18.0 carries per sport since Week 12, the bottom within the NFL.
From Weeks 2-14, Herbert recorded 357 consecutive go makes an attempt with out an interception, the fifth-longest streak in NFL historical past. He’s doing a terrific job of taking good care of the soccer, however with Dobbins out, the Bolts have struggled to create stability on offense.
Losers in three of their final 4 video games, the Chargers have averaged 18.5 factors per sport throughout that span. Herbert has thrown simply 16 touchdowns this season, in comparison with 20 in 2023 and 25 in 2022. His interception charge is No. 3 all-time, behind Jacoby Brissett and Aaron Rodgers. But with LA struggling to attain factors, is Herbert taking sufficient dangers to create explosive performs?
Joe Burrow, Herbert’s classmate, leads the league with 36 landing passes. Reigning MVP Lamar Jackson is second with 34. MVP favourite Josh Allen has 25 landing passes and is answerable for 36 whole touchdowns. These are the quarterbacks that Herbert is in comparison with for his immense expertise.
Herbert (20,182) and Hall of Fame member Peyton Manning (20,618) are the one gamers in NFL historical past with a minimum of 20,000 passing yards of their first 5 NFL seasons. Herbert wants 437 passing yards in his last three video games to outpace Manning for more often than not.
“You play quarterback with out worry,” Herbert stated, when requested about discovering stability within the offense. “I’m going to make my photographs; I’m going to throw the ball downfield. I’ve to be good and perceive that possibly a throw-in is healthier in that scenario. You cannot take away the aggression and the aggressive mentality of throwing the ball down the sector, particularly for one of many your attacking midfielders, however I’ve to do a greater job there.”
It’s not simply Herbert. The total offense should discover a strategy to constantly transfer the ball and discover the top zone. This begins entrance and heart with higher safety. Harbaugh considers offensive linemen a weapon, one of many causes the Bolts chosen proper sort out Joe Alt within the first spherical. However, Herbert has been sacked 38 instances this 12 months. Only Sam Darnold (42) and Will Levis (40) had extra sacks. Herbert’s 8.7 sack charge this season is a career-high.
“We need to do a greater job of defending our man,” Roman stated. “And there’s a couple of different issues. It’s not simply the blockers, it is working the routes, getting the ball out on time. It all impacts. And teaching. We’re all part of it. It all impacts and all of us take possession of the identical.”
Another issue is the lack of gifted receivers Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler, which has affected LA’s consistency within the passing sport. The Chargers have created 44 passing performs of 20+ yards, which ranks No. 10 within the NFL. However, in response to Next Gen Stats, the Chargers even have 22 drops, fourth-most within the NFL.
“We all the time speak about enjoying that complementary soccer,” Herbert stated. “There have been lots of instances this 12 months the place we did not put up factors and our protection got here out they usually brought about turnovers, they made nice stops.
“They’ve performed nearly good all 12 months. It’s robust, however we have to do a greater job of going on the market as an offense and limiting the time we put our protection on the sector and letting these guys relaxation and calm down on the sector. Margin .”
Herbert is aware of he carries the burden of the crime on himself. Maybe it is time for him to take some extra dangers.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, overlaying the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN e Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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