Justin Herbert’s NFL Debut
The first recipient of our “Fire-Up” spotlight belongs to the rookie Los Angeles Chargers quarterback. I must confess that before watching his NFL debut, I was wrongfully convinced that Herbert was a total bust and a waste of a draft pick. Wow, was I wrong.
Herbert replaced Tyrod Taylor minutes before the Chargers’ matchup kicked-off against the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. Needless to say, Herbert impressed with his leadership, poise and of course his athleticism.
In the opening drive, the 6’5” Oregon-product marched Los Angeles’ offense downfield, ultimately culminating the drive by scoring his first NFL rushing touchdown. Barring a few rookie mistakes, Herbert turned in a clean performance by going 22-33, 311 yards, 1 touchdown and one interception.
That one interception proved costly as it seemingly shifted the momentum in favor of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Did that lone interception cost Herbert his first NFL victory? Maybe, but let’s cut the guy some slack. It’s not often that you see a rookie quarterback that can go toe-to-toe with a former MVP quarterback and almost escape with the win. With time and repetitions, Herbert will polish his game.
After Sunday’s performance he joined Cam Newton and Otto Graham as the third quarterback to throw for 300 yards and rush for a touchdown in their NFL debut. Not to mention, he already possesses the intangible skills which can eventually propel him to take over as the sole starting quarterback for Anthony Lynn’s squad.
The offense rallied well behind him and he showed good timing and touch with his passes. Also, Herbert picked up key first down conversions with his legs. With Herbert at the helm, the Charger offense controlled the tempo of the game and wore down the Kansas City defense with the help of solid performances by running back Austin Ekeler and wide receiver Keenan Allen.
Moving forward, it will be interesting how the Chargers will handle their quarterback rotation. Both Taylor and Herbert are athletic enough to be considered “dual-threat” quarterbacks, however, at this point it is Herbert who has demonstrated superior feel for the passing game. More than likely, the Los Angeles starting quarterback position will boil down to which quarterback can better protect the football and limit turnovers.
Needless to say, Herbert deserves another chance after such a remarkable showing.
Herbert, thank you for proving me wrong and denying naysayers (myself included) the pleasure of criticizing your quarterback play. Thank you for stepping up and giving Mahomes and the Chiefs a run for their money. Congratulations on such an incredible debut, and I look forward to watching you excel as a quarterback in the NFL. Fire Up!