Ducks Digest

Justin Herbert Injury Update: LA Chargers' Jim Harbaugh Reveals Good News

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers lost to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football 17-15. Herbert threw for 349 yards in the loss, and Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh says Herbert's ankle is 'a lot better.'

Charlie Viehl

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws the ball against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws the ball against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In this story:

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers lost to the Arizona Cardinals 17-15 on Monday Night Football. Despite the loss, Herbert completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 349 yards. After the game, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh gave an update on Herbert's ankle injury that forced the quarterback to miss time earlier this season.

“He’s an incredible player. He’s incomparable," said Harbaugh. "Where the ankle was, where it is now, you know, a lot better. He’d been playing on one good ankle. The other, first game back was 20 percent, maybe . . . an ankle and a half at best. He’s got two now.”

Herbert certainly looked healthy, but the Cardinals defense held the Chargers offense out of the end zone the entire game, forcing Los Angeles to settle for five field goals. Los Angeles was without wide receiver Quentin Johnston and tight end Hayden Hurst, both out with injuries.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) tries to run past Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) tries to run past Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Oct. 21, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former NFL quarterback and teammate of Herbert, Chase Daniel took to social media to share his opinion on the Chargers' receiving corps. Daniel wrote, "Justin Herbert throwing for over 300 yards with this crew is quite possibly the single greatest accomplishment of the NFL season."

After the game, Herbert spoke with the media about kicking field goals instead of scoring touchdowns on red zone opportunities.

“I thought we did a lot of good things, but we got to score points in the red zone. That’s the biggest takeaway from tonight’s game. . . . We got the right plays. We got the right guys out there. It just didn’t go our way tonight. We got to do a better job of executing those red zone plays," said Herbert.

In the first quarter of Monday night's game, Herbert found wide receiver Jalen Raegor for a 41-yard gain inside the five-yard line before Arizona cornerback Starling Thomas V punched the ball out of Raegor's arms. The ball went out of bounds through the end zone, resulting in a Cardinals' touchback and a lost opportunity for the Chargers' offense.

The former Oregon Duck was able to move the ball against the Cardinals, but the Chargers' offense came up short too many times.

“It’s a razor-thin margin in this league, and we’re a couple plays away from putting up a lot of points," said Herbert. "It didn’t go our way. We unfortunately didn’t execute those red zone plays. We were able to get down there, but at the end of the day it’s about those tiny details and keeping the ‘main thing’ the ‘main thing.’”

With the loss to Arizona, the Chargers are 3-3 on the season and are now third in the AFC West. The Denver Broncos, led by fellow Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, are a half-game above Los Angeles with the Chargers' early bye week.

The Chargers will host the New Orleans Saints in Week 8.

MORE: Big Ten Title Game Tiebreaker Scenarios: Undefeated Oregon Ducks, Penn State, Indiana

MORE: Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning Addresses Injury Updates: Terrance Ferguson, Jordan Burch

MORE: Emotional Sabrina Ionescu, Nyara Sabally Celebrate WNBA Title With New York Liberty

MORE: Marcus Mariota Scores Two Touchdowns In Washington Win: Jayden Daniels' Rib Injury

MORE: Oregon Ducks Offensive Line Commit Demetri Manning: 'I Am Not' Flipping 

MORE: Las Vegas Raiders' Jackson Powers-Johnson Cashes Oregon Ducks Bet vs. Ohio State Alum 

MORE: Was Oregon Ducks Receiver Traeshon Holden Suspended vs. Purdue Boilermakers?

Published |Modified
Charlie Viehl
CHARLIE VIEHL

Charlie Viehl is a 23-year old Boston College graduate and is an Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans beat reporter for On SI. A native of Pasadena, California, he covered sports across Los Angeles while at Loyola High School and edited the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program’s magazine at BC. While pursuing a career in sports journalism, he is also a lifelong musician. He is excited to bring his passion for storytelling and sports to fans of college athletics.

Home/Football