Chargers reveal how they blew it striving to secure injured quarterback Justin Herbert

Justin Herbert and his fractured rib cartilage totally personified the NFL’s long-standing designation of “questionable” Sunday.

The cloudiness all-around Herbert’s standing was so pronounced that — even right after the quarterback began towards Jacksonville — the uncertainty leaked into the sport, impacting the Chargers’ engage in calling.

Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi admitted Thursday he may possibly have erred in hoping to secure Herbert.

“I in all probability designed it a very little murkier than it wanted to be,” Lombardi reported. “I assume he was truly a sport-time decision. Pregame he’s like, ‘Look, I’m very good. So don’t worry about it.’

“I likely was a minor cautious at first, seeking to see how it was going. I imagine he was good. I need to have listened and internalized what he was indicating and how he was experience a minor little bit far more.”

The Chargers ran the ball to open two of their very first four sequence, just about every of which showcased Herbert throwing mostly swift, quick passes.

They began with two a few-and-outs, followed by consecutive turnovers — Herbert fired a pass off operating back again Sony Michel’s hands for an interception and then fumbled as he was being sacked.

On the second sequence, in attempt to continue to keep the Jaguars defenders off Herbert, Pro Bowl remaining deal with Rashawn Slater was known as for only the fourth holding penalty of his job.

The complete of those people 4 possessions: 12 plays, 15 web yards and one 1st down.

By the time Herbert bought the ball back again for his next collection, the Chargers ended up trailing 13-.

Lombardi was asked if the question bordering Herbert’s health also impacted the rest of the offense.

“I’m not sure,” he mentioned. “We didn’t participate in nicely. Could have been a large amount of components that went into that. But definitely not going to be an excuse this week.”

When the Chargers play at Houston on Sunday, the expectation is that Herbert’s predicament will be more settled, eliminating several of the issues. On Thursday, he was mentioned as a entire participant in exercise after getting limited the day just before.

Coach Brandon Staley talked Wednesday about how Herbert’s working experience in opposition to Jacksonville must enable him moving ahead. Lombardi echoed that notion although incorporating the encounter really should support all the Chargers.

“Watching what the quarterback did very last 7 days, I think there is a whole lot more quiet amongst all people, figuring out how he’s heading to reply and how he’s going to come to feel on video game working day,” Lombardi claimed. “There was just a lot of uncertainty final week …

“I think he experienced his thoughts [made] up that he was going to enjoy. But he did not know what that was likely to look like. Acquiring long gone by means of it, he’s got additional self esteem in what this total method is likely to be like.”

Following not throwing in exercise in the course of the media-viewing part Wednesday, Herbert did throw Thursday. That was the exact agenda the Chargers used with him a 7 days in the past.

Staley reported the critical will be finding “a rhythm, a new rhythm” with Herbert in conditions of balancing his observe and preparation with making an attempt to reduce his rib injuries from worsening.

“But I do assume it’s nonetheless in that working day-to-working day,” Staley said, “because we’re however at the commencing of it.”

And so forth.

Extensive receiver Keenan Allen, who has missed the last two video games because of a hamstring harm, remaining follow with an athletic coach through the portion open up to the media. A quick time afterwards, the workforce produced its official injuries report listing Allen as a minimal participant for the 2nd working day in a row. So it continues to be unclear why Allen was found strolling off the area. ... Staley is scheduled to fulfill with reporters early Friday afternoon after the Chargers release their upcoming injuries report and designations for the match in opposition to Houston. Also shown as limited Thursday were two starters, centre Corey Linsley (knee) and cornerback J.C. Jackson (ankle), and backup restricted finish Donald Parham Jr. (hamstring).