Tag: Justin Herbert injury

Social media reacts to Chargers QB Justin Herbert’s season-ending injury news

The general population reacted to the news that Justin Herbert will miss the rest of the season.

On Tuesday, it was announced that Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert would be out with a fractured right finger for the remainder of the season.

Even though Los Angeles is not trending toward making the playoffs, it’s tough to know that Herbert will miss time with an injury that was a result of poor protection, which has been an issue all season.

The Bolts will turn to Easton Stick to start at quarterback for the rest of the 2023 season.

Here is how social media reacted after it was announced that Herbert will have season-ending surgery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chargers QB Justin Herbert undergoing season-ending surgery

Justin Herbert’s 2023 season is over.

Justin Herbert’s 2023 season is over.

Herbert will have surgery to repair the broken index finger on his right hand and will be placed on injured reserve, which will keep him out for the rest of the year.

Herbert suffered the injury in the Week 14 loss to the Broncos after taking a hit from defensive tackle Zach Allen.

Herbert finishes this season with 3,314 yards, a 65.1 completion percentage and 20 passing touchdowns to seven interceptions. Additionally, he had 228 yards and three scores on 52 carries.

Easton Stick will now take over as the Chargers’ starting quarterback. Stick replaced Herbert after he got hurt and went on to throw for 179 yards on 13 of 24 passing.

This will mark Stick’s first NFL career start. A fifth-round pick out of North Dakota State in the 2019 NFL draft, Stick is the winningest quarterback in FCS history with a 49-3 record.

Stick finished as the school career record holder for passing yards (8,693), passing touchdowns (88), total offense yards (11,216) and touchdowns (129). He’s also the Missouri Valley’s career leader for rushing yards (2,523) and rushing touchdowns (41) by a quarterback.

Chargers QB Easton Stick set for first NFL start vs. Raiders

Brandon Staley has full confidence in Easton Stick as the Chargers’ starting quarterback.

There is a high probability that quarterback Easton Stick will start for the Chargers on Thursday night when they face the Raiders as Justin Herbert is unlikely to play due to a finger injury he sustained against the Broncos. 

It would be Stick’s first NFL start of his career. The 28-year-old has attempted just 25 passes throughout his career and all but one came on Sunday against Denver. 

Despite the limited playing time, head coach Brandon Staley believes Stick has grown tremendously “in all ways as a quarterback.”

Mechanically, throwing the football with accuracy, I think that he has really developed that sense of, ‘Hey, this is what my base needs to be, this is where my shoulders need to be.’ Consistency with his stroke. I think that you saw that last night. I thought that you saw him really drive the football — throw it with touch, really drive it on some of those in-breaks. There was a tight third-down throw to Keenan [Allen] in a bunch of traffic that I thought was really good. That fourth down to Keenan on the choice [route], he really ripped that, gave him a chance. I think that he has really improved mechanically.

Stick was a fifth-round pick out of North Dakota State in 2019 and he’s worn the powder blues since then. Not only does his coach have full confidence in him, but his teammates believe they still have a fighting chance with Stick under center. 

“I have nothing but full confidence in Easton Stick,” defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day said, per the team’s official website. “The looks that he gives us week-in and week-out [on the scout team] are amazing. He’s confident, he’s poised, he knows the offense like the back of his hand. 

He’s honestly a great, great quarterback, and I believe he actually proved that with what the situation he was put in. A lot of quarterbacks put in that situation, they probably wouldn’t give you points.”

Stick’s best play of the game last Sunday was a 57-yard pass over the middle to Quentin Johnston. The next play Stick connected with Johnston again for a gain of 22 yards. Austin Ekeler was then able to score with a three-yard run. 

Stick completed 13 of his 24 attempts for 179 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

“To have a guy that is smart and that can move, it gives you a chance,” Staley said. “As I mentioned, I think that he can learn a lot from that tape and give our team confidence going into Thursday.”

With the Chargers essentially out of playoff contention, it’s possible they could roll with Stick for the remainder of the season instead of taking the risk of Herbert getting hurt again.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert not expected to play vs. Raiders

Justin Herbert will consult with Dr. Steven Shin to determine the extent of the injury and how much time he will miss.

Quarterback Justin Herbert sustained a fracture in the index finger of his throwing hand on Sunday against the Broncos.

As a result, he is not expected to play Thursday night against the Raiders, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Schefter added that Herbert will consult with Dr. Steven Shin to determine the extent of the injury and how much time he will miss.

Herbert suffered the injury from being hit by Broncos defensive lineman Zach Allen in the second quarter.

When Herbert left the game, backup Easton Stick took over for the remainder of the second quarter and the entire second half.

Stick completed 13 of 24 passes for 179 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He was sacked twice and fumbled twice.

With Herbert set to be sidelined, Stick will be the starter against Las Vegas. Brandon Staley said that rookie Max Duggan will be the backup.

As for Herbert’s status, it would be wise for the team to keep him out of live-game action for the rest of the 2023 season.

Sitting at 5-8 and essentially out of playoff contention, Los Angeles has nothing to play for, and there’s no point in throwing Herbert out there when he’s suffered injuries to both hands.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert suffers fracture in right index finger

A short week likely places Easton Stick in a position to start against the Raiders on Thursday night.

Justin Herbert left the game against the Broncos with a finger injury and never returned after halftime. Easton Stick took over in the second half after Herbert was declared out.

After the game, Brandon Staley confirmed that the Chargers’ starting quarterback fractured his right index finger.

Unlike the injury to Herbert’s non-throwing hand earlier in the year, a fracture to his right hand could cost him serious time. Herbert said he had an x-ray before halftime and will get further testing as the week progresses.

In any event, a short week likely places Easton Stick in a position to start against the Raiders on Thursday night.

Herbert said that he’s still unsure if surgery will be necessary. He said he has never played in a game with a fracture of the throwing hand in his career outside of today. Nonetheless, it seems that the fate of Herbert for the rest of the 2023 season will be decided relatively soon.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert won’t be affected by finger injury vs. Cowboys

There aren’t going to be any limitations for Justin Herbert.

Quarterback Justin Herbert is not likely to be affected by the injured finger on his non-throwing hand when the Chargers take on the Cowboys on Monday night.

“I think there’s so much going on during the game that you’re probably not going to be worrying about it too much. I think you’re just going to be worried about not getting tackled or not taking those hits. Whether it’s a scramble, it’s about being safe and getting down. That’s in the back of your mind.”

Herbert sustained the injury in Week 4 in the win over the Raiders. It occurred after he threw an interception. He attempted to make a tackle on the defender, but his finger got caught in the helmet of Maxx Crosby, resulting in him finishing the game with a large splint on his hand.

“I think it gets better every day,” Herbert said. “It’s nice having the bye week to get our bodies back. I think it’s getting better every day.”

Herbert said he plans to play with a glove on his hand as a way of protection and helping him get a better grip on the football.

Herbert didn’t take any snaps under center throughout the week of practice to protect his finger, but he did note that they’ve got some plays under center designed for the game.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert details injuries during 2022 season

Chargers QB Justin Herbert was hamstrung by a couple of injuries.

Expectations were high for Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert entering his third season.

While he finished second in passing yards (4,739) and third in completion percentage (68.2%), Herbert was hamstrung by a couple of injuries that kept him from playing at the level of his first two campaigns.

Herbert suffered fractured rib cartilage in the second week of the season against the Chiefs. Additionally, he sustained a torn labrum in his left shoulder at some point, resulting in having surgery at the end of the season.

Herbert spoke to Kay Adams on Up & Adams, detailing how the injuries impacted him during the season.

“I think the ribs early on were pretty tough,” Herbert said. “It’s kind of a discomfort that I had to deal with for six or seven weeks. But as that got better, time healed.

The shoulder was kind of another discomfort thing. I was able to throw and was able to do everything, but I was kind of limited during practice. So, I had to find my way of being out there and getting all the reps without actually doing them all.”

After taking the huge shot to the ribs from Chiefs edge defender Mike Danna, Herbert, surprisingly, would miss just one play before returning to the field and finishing the game despite taking several more shots to the affected area.

“I’d like to think so,” Herbert said when asked if toughness is his defining characteristic. “As a quarterback and teammate, you need to be able to put everything on the line.

So even when you don’t feel great, and you don’t want to play, and you don’t want to go to practice, you need to be able to go out there and give your best cause your teammates deserve that.”

The Chargers expect Herbert to be cleared for participation in the spring.

Who are the experts taking in Chargers vs. Jaguars?

Find out who national pundits are favoring in the matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Los Angeles Chargers are considered 3.5-point favorites over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3 of the 2022 regular season. The over/under is 42.5 points, per Tipico Sportsbook.

That means oddsmakers are taking bets on whether the two teams will combine to score more than or fewer than 42.5 points.

My score prediction for the game is a 24-14 win for the Bolts, with a combined total of 48 points. So if I were putting money behind my prediction, I’d bet the over.

As for game picks, analysts are rolling with the Bolts in this one.

Expert Pick
Nate Davis (USA Today) Chargers
Jarrett Bell (USA Today) Chargers
Mike Clay (ESPN) Chargers
Matt Bowen (ESPN) Chargers
Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) Chargers
Bill Bender (Sporting News) Chargers
Gregg Rosenthal (NFL Media) Chargers
Bleacher Report Chargers

Sunday’s game will begin at 1:05 p.m. PT and will be televised on CBS.

Chargers’ causes for concern vs. Jaguars in Week 3

A look at some causes for concern as the Los Angeles Chargers gear up to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Chargers will look to improve to 2-1 on the season this Sunday against the Jaguars at SoFi Stadium.

However, questions about this team still abound, especially on offense.

Here are four reasons to be concerned about the game:

Justin Herbert’s health

The conversation around the Chargers this week and likely multiple weeks after this will be about whether or not Herbert will be good to go on Sunday after fracturing his rib cartilage in the loss to the Chiefs. Ultimately, it comes down to pain tolerance: if Herbert can withstand the injury, he can play. The team will likely give him an injection to help with the pain management, the same one that they gave Tyrod Taylor when the team doctor accidentally punctured Taylor’s lung. But then again, there’s a possibility that Herbert sits out and Chase Daniel starts. Even if a healthy Daniel is under center, I don’t feel confident that the offense will fire on all cylinders.

Trevor Lawrence’s ascension

Lawrence has been nothing short of spectacular this season, largely thanks to an offense that makes schematic sense as opposed to whatever Urban Meyer’s staff was putting on the field last season. The former No. 1 overall pick is top ten in nearly every QB metric there is through two weeks:

This has come against Washington and Indianapolis, two bottom-half defenses against the pass according to DVOA. The Chargers, meanwhile, are eighth in pass defense DVOA, largely because of the emergence of Asante Samuel Jr., who has strung together two stellar games. Still, this isn’t the Trevor Lawrence of last season, when Jacksonville snagged the top pick for the second consecutive season. This could be his national coming out party if he performs against this Chargers secondary.

Run game woes

LA has been well below average as a run-blocking team, ranking in the bottom seven in perfectly blocked play percentage. Jacksonville, meanwhile, is about league average in preventing perfectly blocked run plays. Even if Herbert plays, I’d expect the game plan to feature Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley more heavily to take pressure off the quarterback. But if LA does that, they’ll need the run game to wake up. That’s no easy feat with Corey Linsley (knee tendinitis) and Trey Pipkins (ankle) also nursing minor injuries. Linsley is a key part of the communication up front, and his absence in the second half was palpable on Thursday. If he can’t go on Sunday, the run game may continue to sputter. And if that happens with a hampered Justin Herbert or a limited Chase Daniel under center, this game may suddenly be much more of a sweat.

Trap game

These aren’t last year’s Jaguars, and they certainly aren’t the 2020 Jaguars, who dropped a game to LA 39-29. LA cannot expect to be able to throw Daniel out there at quarterback and cruise to an easy victory. Again, Jacksonville has only played the Commanders and Colts, who rank 24th and 31st in overall DVOA, respectively. But Doug Pederson has this team playing to the talent level they’ve acquired over the last few seasons. #1 overall pick Travon Walker is already drawing double teams because of his proficiency as a pass rusher. Lawrence is firing on all cylinders. Christian Kirk has looked worth the massive contract he was given. The Chargers cannot look past this game, and I don’t think they will, at least not to the level some fans have. But if they come out flat, thinking they can ease out a victory, they’ve got another thing coming.

Who will start at quarterback for Chargers? Question looms ahead of matchup with Jaguars

This week’s storyline is the status of Chargers QB Justin Herbert.

After falling to the Chiefs last Thursday night, the Chargers begin preparing for their Week 3 bout with the Jaguars.

But practice plans could be a little bit different this week, as the status of Justin Herbert remains to be seen.

Herbert has a fracture to his rib cartilage that he sustained in the Week 2 loss to Kansas City.

He suffered the injury on a hit late in the fourth quarter. He left the game for one play before returning. On his first snap back in, Herbert was hit again and visibly uncomfortable.

Following the game, Brandon Staley said Herbert was day-to-day, and the team would reassess before practice on Wednesday. Staley did not rule Herbert out from practicing, nor did he rule out him facing Jacksonville.

Giving Herbert the green light could come down to evaluating his pain levels after having those few extra days to rest, whether he feels he can still play at a high level, and if they’re confident enough that he won’t worsen it.

However, if the coaching staff believes that it would be more beneficial to use more time to recover, Herbert would be sidelined in favor of his backup, Chase Daniel.

Daniel, the 13-year veteran, has played 71 games with five starts, throwing for 1,694 yards and eight touchdowns.

If Daniel is under center, the offensive game plan would be altered quite a bit.

With an arm nowhere near the talent of Herbert, Daniel would likely be relegated to short and quick passes. The running game would also be relied on more than usual.

Ultimately, the defense could be the deciding factor in this game, as it’s hard to see the offense having a lot of spark if Daniel is given the start.

We will know Los Angeles’ plans at quarterback in the coming days.