EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers had to adjust on the fly after Justin Herbert broke a bone in his non-throwing hand last Sunday.
As optimistic as they are that Herbert will be ready to start against the visiting Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, the Chargers (8-4) have spent this week accounting for every possible contingency.
“I think you got to try to look at it from all the different angles, you know, as you prepare,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said. “What if this happens? What if that happens?”
Planning went into practice during a 31-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, when Herbert had to play the final three quarters with his left hand in a hard cast and protective glove. The injury prevented Herbert from taking snaps under center, with the Chargers using shotgun and pistol formations the rest of the way.
“It’s just a good reminder you really need to work through these contingencies in your mind,” Roman said. “A lot of what we practiced that week went out the window. So, really, hats off to Justin and really everybody.”
Herbert had surgery on Monday and was back at practice Thursday, leaving an organization that typically treats such matters as state secrets expressing an unusually public degree of belief he will be ready to go against the NFC East-leading Eagles (8-4). Herbert was listed as “questionable” on the injury report Saturday following three straight days of limited practices.
“That's the plan, is to prepare as if I'm going to play,” Herbert said Wednesday. “See how the next couple days goes, and do everything I can to be out there for the team and for the guys.”
However, that does not necessarily mean Herbert will be able to run the full offense. Backup Trey Lance worked with the first unit on Wednesday, and coach Jim Harbaugh has said the third overall pick in the 2021 draft would be prepared for situations where the Chargers might need to be under center, such as in short yardage or at the goal line.
Roman has used quarterback platoons at times, but never because of an injury like Herbert's.
“It was because of, you know, trying to throw some trickeration at people,” Roman said. “But, no, I mean, we’ll do whatever it takes.”
The uncertainty carries over to the Eagles, where defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has also been devising plans for Herbert and Lance, who has not thrown a touchdown pass in the NFL since Jan. 2, 2022, the last game of his rookie season with the San Francisco 49ers.
“We’ll have to prepare for both quarterbacks,” Fangio said. “Probably knowing that if Herbert plays, he’ll be in the pistol a lot and in the gun. Yeah, we’ll have to be ready for both.”
Philadelphia’s offense has absorbed the bulk of the blame for the team's struggles of late. Yet, it was the defense — especially the line — that got whipped against the Bears, when the unit allowed 281 yards. Chicago had two 100-yard rushers in a game for the first time since its dominant Super Bowl-winning 1985 season.
“I didn’t do a good enough job of preparing our squad for the quality and the diversity of their run game,” Fangio said. “We didn’t play the run and the blocks the way we had been playing.”
Herbert has experience going against Fangio’s schemes, having faced him four times from 2020-21 when Fangio was head coach of the Denver Broncos. Herbert went 2-2, throwing for 1,071 yards and eight touchdowns with four interceptions. Both wins were at home, and he did not throw a pick in those games.
Although the Eagles have allowed over 400 yards of offense in consecutive games for the first time under Fangio, Herbert expects a big response this week.
“We know how good their defense is, and we watch the film, and it doesn’t take long to turn it on and see the plays they make,” Herbert said. “They have guys on that side of the ball that are game-wreckers. And at the same time, they’re really well-coached, and it makes for a dangerous combination.”
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni has stood behind offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, both professionally amid the offense's struggles and personally, after Patullo’s New Jersey home was vandalized with eggs over the weekend.
Sirianni said he’s leaned on advice he was given early in his coaching career: “Give strength to the people that need it.”
“I always thought that was really good,” Sirianni said. “Pick up people that need it, and that’s your job as a leader to do that. That’s why the relationship portion of it is so important because there are ups and there are downs in relationships.”
Patullo appreciated Sirianni’s trust in him to turn around a unit that is running out of time to perform like one that's capable of winning another Super Bowl. Saquon Barkley and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts have seen their production dip, while former 1,000-yard receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are behind the pace of their career averages. The Eagles are averaging 62.4 fewer yards per game and 4.7 fewer points than last season.
Coming off their bye week, the Chargers turned in arguably their best offensive performance since tackle Joe Alt was lost for the season on Nov. 2 in the win over the Raiders. To Harbaugh, it was clear the time off benefited the offensive line, with multiple players getting healthy and Jamaree Salyer having the chance to work exclusively at left tackle after previously splitting time at right guard. That switch will be permanent for the remainder of the season, Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh was especially pleased with the run blocking, which set the stage for 192 yards and two scores on the ground, and believes the front five has found some consistency without Alt.
“These are high (level), elite football players that have gotten their opportunity,” Harbaugh said. “Their playing is healthy and together and good. ... That bodes well for us down the stretch.”
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AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
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