It sounds like Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has a realistic shot at playing against the Chiefs in Week 4. He left the team’s Week 3 loss with a reaggravated ankle injury, which he came into the game with.
Herbert was listed as questionable against the Steelers due to the injury but eventually started. Based on comments made on Wednesday, though, there’s some optimism about his chances of playing this weekend.
“I think it’s better than where we were last week. It’s progressing, it was just really painful during the game with the buildup from the hits and the toll on it… It [ankle] feels good. Those reps are valuable.”
In his five-year NFL career, Herbert has missed just four games due to injury, all of which took place at the end of last season. Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh has continuously praised his quarterback for his overall toughness.
In fact, Harbaugh mentioned that he was the one who decided to take Herbert out in Week 3. The former Oregon product has played through several painful injuries in his career, and this may be the latest case.
Taylor Heinicke came in and finished out the Week 3 contest, and the offense clearly struggled. The unit failed to score any points in the second half, albeit against a stout Steelers defense.
The biggest difference was the injuries to the team’s two starting tackles, as Heinicke was sacked three times after coming in.
If the Chargers want a realistic shot at upsetting the Chiefs in Week 4, they’ll need Herbert under center. As the week progresses, there seems to be legitimate optimism that he will be able to play.