The Los Angeles Chargers are sitting at 8-4, are in second place in the AFC West, and by most accounts, should be feeling great about themselves. However, injuries have made the Chargers one of the more interesting teams in football, and not necessarily in a good way. They are already without their starting running backs and offensive tackles, and might have added a more important name to that list in Week 13.
The Chargers handled the Las Vegas Raiders by a score of 31-14 on Sunday afternoon, but their win was almost immediately clouded by injury concerns to Justin Herbert. Early on in their game, Herbert suffered a hand injury that resulted in a few of his fingers being taped together, but he remained in the game. Very notably, they called a run to Kimani Vidal on fourth and very short, a situation that usually would have seen a Herbert tush push.
He remained in the game for the majority of their victory, but that might be his last game action for a while. Herbert is said to have a break in his left hand, and head coach Jim Harbaugh shared that there is a procedure scheduled tomorrow for his quarterback. At this time, he said, it is too early to tell if he will need an extended absence to recover.
Justin Herbert's injury could put a Chargers' playoff run in serious doubt
Considering their record and current spot as the top wild card in the AFC, the Chargers figure to be in the 2025 playoffs barring an epic collapse. An epic collapse could be authored in large part by a star quarterback missing considerable time, which appears to be an option for Herbert. His simply being out for a few weeks won't end their season, but it is all dependent on their upcoming schedule (Hint: it is brutal).
This past game against the Raiders figures to be the final "easy" game on the Chargers' schedule, as the final five are a gauntlet. The Chargers' final five games go as follows: hosting the Eagles, in Kansas City, in Dallas, hosting the Texans, and lastly in Denver. Their last five games go against legitimate playoff contenders, at least two of whom will be fighting for their playoff lives when they match up, especailly if the Chiefs can't beat the Texans next week.
If Herbert does miss time, the Chargers will turn the ball over to Trey Lance, the third overall selection in the 2021 draft. If he is to start two games in a row for Los Angeles, it would be the first time in his professional career that he has seen two straight starts. Those starts coming against the defending champion Eagles and playoff desperate Chiefs might not be a recipe for success, and could put LA's playoff spot in serious jeopardy.