Justin Herbert Stays Focused on Chargers’ Goals Despite Hand Injury

Justin Herbert Overcomes Injury Setback as Chargers Approach Playoff Aspirations

In the aftermath of hand surgery, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has found even the most routine of tasks, such as tying shoelaces, unexpectedly challenging. The issue stemmed from a cast that hindered his movements, serving as a constant reminder of the broken bone he sustained during a pivotal game against the Las Vegas Raiders on November 30. A helmet-to-hand hit from Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn necessitated surgery on Herbert’s non-throwing hand the following day.

Despite these obstacles, the 27-year-old signal-caller has continued to lead the Chargers (11-4) to victory in four consecutive games, defeating two teams that reached the Super Bowl in the previous season. “The days went on, and as I got better and more mobility with (the left hand), I think it’s become more normal, and it feels a bit better, so that’s also a positive,” Herbert reflected earlier in the week.

Herbert’s performance has stabilized as the team gears up for the playoffs. Following narrow victories against the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, his yards-per-pass attempt rose from 5.3 to 7.2, and his completion percentage improved from a low of 46.2% to 65.5%.

Against the Dallas Cowboys, Herbert achieved a passer rating of 132.8, marking his best performance since December 2021. He threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns in a commanding 34-17 win that secured a playoff berth for the Chargers on Monday, given the San Francisco 49ers’ victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Quentin Johnston, a wide receiver for the Chargers, praised Herbert’s resilience: “To me, that’s just a test of the type of person, type of player he is. I mean, shoot, still playing and executing at a high level — I’m really happy to be on the team with him. I would rather be with nobody else but him.”

Looking ahead, the Chargers will face the Houston Texans (10-5) this Saturday at SoFi Stadium, a significant matchup for Herbert as he seeks to overcome a disappointing playoff outing from last season, where he threw a career-high four interceptions during a wild-card defeat against the Texans.

Reflecting on that loss, Herbert stated, “No one felt worse than I did. I think it’s important to continue to move forward and realize that it’s what happened, and it would be crazy of me to deny the truth of what happened.”

The stakes remain high for the Chargers as they vie for the AFC West title and a potential top playoff seed. With wins against the Texans and the Denver Broncos in Week 18, the team would clinch the division title, but they also need both the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots to lose at least once to secure the No. 1 playoff seed.

Head Coach Jim Harbaugh emphasized a focus on one game at a time, but Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack noted the impact of Herbert’s determination, stating, “It’s a hell of a statement he’s making throughout the building, and everybody can feel it.”