Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert acquired some excellent news Monday concerning the nagging ankle harm that compelled him to exit within the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Herbert was recognized with a excessive ankle sprain after x-rays got here again adverse, NFL Media reported. Herbert will reportedly “proceed to be monitored” forward of the Chargers’ Week 4 showdown with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
Herbert spent two-plus quarters making an attempt to grit his tooth by means of the ache of the harm on Sunday after being restricted in observe final week. For some time, it labored. He threw a first-half landing move to Quentin Johnston and largely stayed out of bother within the face of T.J. Watt and the remainder of the retlentless Pittsburgh Steelers move rush.
All of it ended halfway by means of the third quarter when Herbert dropped again to move and Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts crashed into him for a sack. Herbert hobbled to the sideline one play later and watched backup Taylor Heinicke muster little the remainder of the best way as Pittsburgh surged to a 20-10 victory.
“I did every little thing I may to return in there,” Herbert stated afterward, his proper foot in a protecting boot. “I did not really feel like I may transfer round or actually push off of it.”
Herbert went to the medical tent to be evaluated then spent the remainder of the sport on the bench because the Chargers (2-1) noticed their promising begin underneath first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh take a success.
“Not each recreation goes to be a fairytale ending,” Harbaugh stated.
Harbaugh declined to invest whether or not Herbert will likely be out there towards the Chiefs subsequent week, saying solely the group will take the identical “wait and see” method it used after Herbert initially injured the ankle on Sept. 15 in a win over the Carolina Panthers.
Herbert practiced little throughout Los Angeles’ prolonged keep in Charlotte and the Chargers listed him as questionable on Friday. Herbert walked onto the Acrisure Stadium turf about two hours earlier than kickoff on Sunday in a white T-shirt and blue shorts and spent about half-hour going by means of a typical warm-up.
Harbaugh noticed sufficient to really feel snug giving Herbert the nod, with the caveat he would put Heinicke into the lineup on the first signal of bother. For 2 quarters, Herbert principally stayed out of it. He made fast selections and moved the ball with relative ease, together with a 27-yard dart to a wide-open Johnston that gave Los Angeles an early lead.
Herbert may really feel, nonetheless, the soreness beginning to ramp up. Then he felt his ankle twist beneath him as Roberts dragged him to the bottom. Harbaugh then opted to tug his franchise quarterback somewhat than danger additional harm on a day Herbert ended 12 of 18 for 125 yards.
“I knew Justin wasn’t going to take himself out,” Harbaugh stated.
So Harbaugh did, a choice Herbert did not attempt to discuss his coach out of, however solely after exhausting all bodily choices.
“I pushed myself (and) I could not do it anymore,” Herbert stated. “And I had a tricky time strolling on it, shifting on it, pushing off of it. And I knew that Taylor gave us a greater shot to win.”
Heinicke accomplished each of his move makes an attempt for twenty-four yards, however was additionally sacked twice on Los Angeles’ ultimate possession on a pair of performs by which the strain got here so quick he may do little in response.
Neither quarterback acquired a lot assist from a working recreation that did little. J.Okay Dobbins was held to 44 yards on 15 carries on a day the Chargers ran for simply 61 yards complete, approach fewer than they averaged throughout early victories over Las Vegas and Carolina.
Harbaugh made it a degree to reward Herbert’s toughness and that of his group. But he is additionally well-versed in how this stuff go when two groups primarily on equal footing meet.
“It is razor-sharp,” he stated. “It is credit-card (width) distinction, the margin. And I believed it was proper there. It was backwards and forwards. It was proper the place I believed it will be and we did not get it finished on the finish there. However we’ll come combating again.”
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