Twisting and tying shoelaces has become an impossible task for Justin Herbert in the days after hand surgery.
Every time Chargers the defender bent down to tie his boots, his cast getting in the way, making the once menial task more difficult.
For Herbert, it was a constant reminder of the broken bone he suffered during victory with a score of 31-14 over the Las Vegas Raiders on November 30 – a helmet hit to the hand by Raiders cornerback Jeremy Chinn that required surgery on his non-throwing hand the next day.
While the 27-year-old, who earned his second Pro Bowl honor on Tuesday, has been far from perfect since injury, the Chargers (11-4) have won four straight games, including two against last season's Super Bowl teams.
“The days have gone by and as I've gotten better and have more mobility (in my left arm), I think it's become more normal and I feel a little better, so that's a positive thing too,” Herbert said earlier this week.
Extracting victories vs. Philadelphia Eagles And Kansas City ChiefsHerbert increased his yards per pass from 5.3 yards to 7.2 yards. His completion percentage increased from a season low of 46.2% against the Eagles to a respectable 65.5% against the Chiefs.
Against the Dallas CowboysIn Week 14 against the New York Giants, Herbert posted a 132.8 passer rating, his best since December 2021. He passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns in the game. victory with a score of 34-17 over the Cowboys, which led to Chargers make playoffs Monday – San Francisco wins over Indianapolis.
“For me, it’s just a test of what kind of person he is, what kind of player he is,” the receiver said. Quentin Johnstonwho threw a spectacular one-handed touchdown and finished with 104 yards receiving against Dallas. “I mean, shooting, still playing and performing at a high level – I'm very happy to be on a team with him. I'd rather be with anyone else than him.”
Houston Texans (10-5) on Saturday at Sophie Stadium will give Herbert a chance to continue his impressive season and exorcise at least some of his playoff demons.
Herbert's disastrous performance against the Texans in last season's playoffs remains etched in his memory. He made a career-best four interceptions in the game. loss with a score of 32-12 this dropped him to 0–2 in career playoff games.
“Nobody felt worse than I did,” Herbert said. “I think it's important to continue to move forward and understand that this is what happened and it would be crazy for me to deny the truth of what happened and live in this reality where if I tried to block it out, I don't think it would be good.”
There's still a lot at stake for the Chargers. They remain in contention for the AFC West title and the top seed in the AFC playoffs. If the Chargers beat the Texans and then beat the Denver Broncos in Week 18, they will win the division. The Chargers need to win and hope the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots lose at least once to secure first place.
Bye coach Jim Harbaugh says the team is approaching the next two weeks one game at a time, the Chargers defense, inspired by Herbert's efforts, sees a path to continue its hot run.
“It’s one hell of a statement he makes all over the building and everyone feels it,” the midfielder says. Khalil Mak said.
