Chargers QB Justin Herbert explains addressing team before practice

Chris Roling | Oct 25, 2024

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert addressed his team before practice this week as prep started for the Week 8 game against the New Orleans Saints. 

According to the star quarterback himself, it wasn’t totally out of the ordinary. Herbert said that he usually does it, or star defender Derwin James handles the duties before things get underway. 

"We were talking about the tempo for practice,” Herbert said. “It was just making sure everyone was following the right guidelines. Gliding, striding, getting the right depth on all of our routes.

Exiting the Week 7 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in which Hebert’s offense needed to settle for five field goals, it was understandable if onlookers thought the meeting might have been something a little more dramatic. 

But the need to chat about tempo management makes sense while practicing on a short week after a Monday night game. More notably, the need to chat about routes and such is pretty important, considering a stunning seven of Herbert’s weapons are injured, meaning some names from deeper on the depth chart could get serious playing time against the Saints. 

Either way, the Chargers aren’t at the “crisis players-only meeting” stage of things yet—and plan to avoid coming close to it. 

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