Tag: Justin Herbert Keenan Allen

NFL stats leaders: Chargers’ Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen sit near top of respective positions

Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen are on a tear.

It was only a matter of time until Justin Herbert had a big performance, and it came this past weekend in the Chargers’ win over the Vikings.

Herbert completed 40 of his 47 passes for 405 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He became the seventh player in NFL history to have 400 yards, three scores and 40 completions in a game without an INT.

Through three games, Herbert is third in passing yards with 939. Additionally, he sits atop the league in completion percentage (74.4) and is tied for the fourth-most passing touchdowns (6).

Herbert is also the only quarterback without a turnover.

But Herbert is not the only Charger who is shredding the stat sheet. His top target, Keenan Allen, is near the top in various categories at his respective position.

Allen is coming off a performance where he reeled in 18 of 20 targets for 215 yards and a passing touchdown.

Allen leads the NFL in receptions (32), is third in receiving yards (402) and has the fourth-most first-down receptions (17).

Connection between Chargers’ Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen continues to flourish

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has heavily favored wide receiver Keenan Allen in his first two starts.

Wide receivers of Keenan Allen’s nature don’t come around that often. When you have one, you must take advantage of it.

Chargers rookie quarterback Justin Herbert has wasted no time utilizing Allen to his fullest, and it was on full display in Sunday’s loss to the Panthers.

Doing what he does best by creating separation with his savvy route-running, Allen was targeted 19 times, tying a career-high. He turned does targets into 13 receptions for 132 yard and one touchdown.

In Herbert’s debut, Allen was targeted 10 times which he converted into 96 yards on seven catches.

Sunday was notable for Allen, as he passed Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow for No. 3 on the team’s all-time receptions list, as well as tying the former great for second in team history in 100-yard performances (24).

Allen was Herbert’s number one read on almost every play. That may have bit the rookie a bit, as seen on his interception when he targeted the Pro Bowl wideout when he could have checked the ball down instead.

Allen was surely Herbert’s safety valve on third downs, along with his go-to option in the end zone as he was targeted twice, with one of them that they turned into six late in the game.

Given the fact that Mike Williams is playing banged up and no one has established themselves as the third wide receiver (excluding tight end Hunter Henry and running back Austin Ekeler), we can expect to see the trend of Allen being heavily targeted.

“My job is to get you the ball. I am your assistant,” is what Herbert said to Allen during training camp, which was shown on HBO’s Hard Knocks. That is all coming to fruition.