ESPN NFL LIVE | Los Angeles Chargers Have TOUGH CHOICE With Justin Herbert Vs Philadelphia

ESPN NFL LIVE | Los Angeles Chargers Have TOUGH CHOICE With Justin Herbert Vs Philadelphia

season push on Sunday and Justin Herbert and Amari and Hansen. Two huge injury question marks from Monday night in the Chargers game against the Eagles. Justin Herbert did not practice today. Jim Harbaugh said he’s optimistic that Herbert will be able to play despite the fact he had surgery on his left hand Monday. And Omarian Hampton seems to be trending in the right direction. According to Jim Harbaugh, they’re happy with where he’s at. And it looks like Omar and Hampton could be back on Monday night for the first time in quite some time. Laura, it’ be big if they could get him back. And certainly we are keeping an eye on Justin Herbert in the leadup to this game. New on NFL Live. Here’s Jim Harbaugh today on facing the Eagles defense. They’re the division leaders. They’re the they’re the reigning world champions. Uh it is nothing but respect and we are grinding through the tape to uh to uh find things to offensively uh that will work get first downs be able to move the ball uh be able to put points on the board. Very very challenging against this defense. Well Harbaugh of course saying Harbaugh like things as you might expect. Phil let’s look at this Monday Night Football matchup between the Chargers and Eagles. What do you want to see from this Eagles offense? You know, Laura, maybe it’s unrealistic to expect things to change when we’re in week 14 of the season, but can this Eagles offensive line push bodies around in the running game like it did last year? I know that Saquon Barkley feels like the disappointing player in this Philadelphia Eagles running game this season. And for sure, he hasn’t been as dominant as he was last year. Not even close. I do wonder how much of that is attributable to the Eagles offensive line and the fact that he’s getting like two yards per carry before contact last year. This year it’s like running through traffic again. Week 14, maybe the reality is this Eagles offensive line just between the injuries and some of the talent departures is not the same as it was last season and we shouldn’t expect that to change. But if they want to get back on track and they’re still by the way in first place in the NFC East, they need to find a way to be more physical in the running game. Yeah. Yeah. This is such a fascinating game because you got two teams that are eight and four and two teams that seemingly got there through very different paths. People feel very differently about these two teams. Um and understandably so combination between the Eagles winning the Super Bowl and being who they are, dealing with coaching issues or line issues, the the Chargers dealing with injury issues and whatnot and and staying afloat despite that having some pretty bad losses for the Chargers. um and you know some big wins but like at different times with different rosters you know because again since there’s been a revolving door of injuries that this Chargers team has dealt with it just be it it’s just become so hard to evaluate like what who are the Chargers who’s even on the team right now I don’t even know man it’s like who’s who’s healthy is Justin Herbert playing you know is is Hampton playing like what’s is Naji Harris back like what’s happening right now who’s who’s actually on the field right now it’s This is crazy. Um, obviously I know Naji is not there. That’s a joke. But, um, so both teams going into this game have a great argument as to why they should come away with the win. The Eagles come in here and they’re like, “Man, this Chargers team is held together with glue.” You know, I made the joke uh yesterday being like, “This team is, you know, the Chargers are held together with Elmer’s glue right now. It’s like not even super glue. It’s it’s Elmer’s glue. It’s the cheap glue that you got in elementary school.” Um, and yet they still been able to find ways to win. You guys know I’m a massive supporter of Harbaugh and Herbert, but you can only do so much. You can only do so much. And I think what they’ve done this year already is like, you know, incredible and amazing. It deserves nothing but heaps and heaps and heaps of praise. Um, but like the Eagles are like, we’re the we’re the Super Bowl champions. Like, yeah, we were in a rough patch, but like we still got the dudes. We still got the dudes. Our defense is great. We got Saquon. We got AJ. We got Devonte. We got Jaylen. We got Dallas. You know, it’s that, yeah, we’re dealing with our injuries on our O line, too, but we should still be good enough. This team is an imperfect team. This team is banged up. That should be enough. Their quarterback literally had surgery about a week prior to this very game, okay? Like, come on now. Let’s get after it. And the Chargers are thinking, man, this team is not the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. This team is struggling, struggling, struggling, right? They’re barely ekking out wins. Their their their Saquon Barkley, their running back, can’t do nothing this season right now. Their passing game is in shambles. AJ Brown is talking nonsense nonstop. You know, uh the the the offensive coordinator’s house is getting vandalized. Like, this team is a mess. The locker room is a mess. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. And so it’s just like the Chargers like no, you know, we saw what this, you know, what the Bears were able to do, you know, in the run game, you know, especially if we got Hampton back like we are going to run run. Vidal is going to go go go. Let’s let’s go. Um, and I have no idea. I got I got no idea at this point. I don’t know who the Philadelphia Eagles are right now. And I do not know who the San Diego Los Angeles Chargers are right now. I think these two teams are incredibly difficult to evaluate right now considering how the Eagles are playing and considering how the Chargers have been able to stay afloat with all of their injuries. Um, and again, literally Justin like the heal is optimistic that that Herbert will play like so he might not play. Like I I know it’s not on his throwing hand. Um, I I I promise you, even though it’s not on his throwing hand, it’s still a thing that you got that you have to deal with. Um, he had a fracture in his left hand. Uh, you know, he had the had surgery for the fracture in the left hand Monday. So, right. So, it’ll be a week later that he’s getting uh that he’s playing. I assume, you know, the surgery that he had would either be a plate, a screw, um, or a nail. I assume. And yes, you do recover quick. Like when you do get surgery um with those types of things like you get the range of mo like that’s kind of the benefit of having surgery is that it’s like um that you you you get the range of motion faster, you get the stability faster, etc., etc. But I promise you it’s going to hurt. He gets surgery even if it’s a plate, a screw, whatever. Like you just all you do is just go like this and it’s going to hurt. Like it’s it’s going to hurt really badly. Like just that alone. And even if it’s in his other hand, just the just the fact that you’re throw when you’re throwing like you’re you you feel it in your toes, you feel it in your ankles, you feel it in your hips, you feel it in your in your in your uh you know, in your abs, in your obliques, in your fingers of your other hand. Like you you feel it your whole body, okay? So it’s it’s not just like, oh, this is not on the throwing hand. It’s all good. It’s certainly better than his throwing hand. No, without a doubt. But it’s not just like nothing. It’s not like he just cut his fingernails a little too short and it’s like ah you’re whatever. Um and considering that Justin Herbert has been getting blown up blown up game after game after game after game. Uh as we know he’s being you know hit and pressured at the highest rate in the history of the NFL. Like it’s just it’s all something to worry about. You know it’s just all something to consider. And you know, the the the playoffs are still on the table for for Justin Herbert and the Chargers. You know, they’re right there at 8 and four. They’re at the five spot, which is, you know, always a little tough when everyone’s eight and four right now, right? All the wild card spots are eight and four. Um, and it’ll be interesting to see. I guess you get the benefit of the doubt that the Texans, although this is I guess this is a this kind of helps and hurts cuz I’m thinking that the Chiefs are the biggest ones that you have to be worried about and I and I do kind of feel that way even though they’re six and six. But if the Chiefs beat the Texans, now they’re seven and now you still play the Chiefs again and now that game obviously becomes insanely important. Um, but if the Texans beat the Chiefs, now they jump up to eight and I don’t know what the tiebreaker would be in that situation. Um, for for the Chiefs and uh, excuse me, for for the Texans and as well as in the Jag, you know, like and the Colts like how that, you know, what exactly their tiebreaker situation would be and um, how how that the the tiebreers are kind of all over the place right now. So, um it’s just, you know, losing would obviously not be great for the Chargers, but at the same time, um if you need to sit Justin Herbert or really significantly minimize Justin Herbert for that game against the Eagles and even potentially, you know, take the L. Like, there are some tough games ahead. You got the Eagles, you got the Chiefs, you got the Cowboys, you got the Texans, you got the Broncos. The Broncos game could very well mean everything to the Broncos. That could be the difference between them getting the number one seed and first round buy or it’s not and it’s solidified and so that game doesn’t matter to them at all. So then no one’s playing in that game. That’s a real possibility. It feels like that’s what it’s going to be. It’s either going to be they win and now they got the one seed or they lo or the game doesn’t matter. It’s hard to imagine that they’re going to be fighting between the two seed and the three seed or something like that. I mean, it’s it’s possible, but things would have to kind of take a turn for the Broncos. So, there’s a real chance that game means nothing for the Broncos. Uh the Texans, they’re fight, you know, that game’s going to matter. The Cowboys, that game is absolutely going to matter. Um unless they go on a random twoame losing streak and then they’re already out, but I still think that they’re going to still, you know, want to hunt and and play as best. I still think you’re going to get a a big game from them regardless of of their playoff seating, but most likely they’re trying to play to to to potentially win the division. And some of this will depend on did the Eagles just did you just beat the Eagles or or or not? So, um and then of course the Chiefs. If the Chiefs lose to the Texans, then it kind of gets pretty grim and now, you know, they’re they’re will be seemingly be playing for pride. So, it’s it’s it’s complicated right now, man. It is complicated. But if you do look at the tiebreaker situation here, uh the Chargers win tiebreak wins tiebreak over Buffalo and Indianapolis based on win percentage in the conference games. So, if you lose to the Eagles, um that now won’t affect the uh win percentage of course in in the conference uh in in conference games, but obviously depending on how the Bills play, the Colts play, like you could get leaprogged in terms of just a a record standpoint, but you could still ideally still maintain any type of tiebreaker situation. So, um, but again, you know, I’m not entirely sure then if if how how much of a gap there is from a from a conference uh win percentage at this point. You know, if the Colts end up do winning and the Buffalo Bills do winning within conference, you know, you know how that all works. Again, it’s we’re we’re getting kind of messy here. But then the Chief But then the Texans if the Texans the Texans have beat the Bills, they beat um if they beat the Chiefs. Again, I don’t know now uh if it first goes to a head-to-head tiebreaker because the Texans beat the Bills or if it’s still conference tiebreaker first uh you know and and this all can impact the Chargers as well. So, we’re in for a messy ending, man. Yeah, that’s what I thought. It would still go head-to-head first. Head-to-head if applicable. And if not, then it’s best one loss tied percentage in games played within the conference. Then it’s best one loss tied percentage in common games minimum of four. Then it’s strength of victory in all games. Like we might get to a spot where we’re actually looking at some of these deeper five, six, seven, eight things which are just, you know, it gets eventually to best net touchdowns in all games. I don’t think we’ll get that far. And then you have a coin toss. I mean, I don’t And that’s just with when you’re looking at two clubs, potentially three clubs, three or more clubs. Like, I’m not even going that far, but most likely we’re we’re falling along somewhere in this general arena. This is already how it was originally. It already got to three uh for the Broncos and um uh the Patriots actually. That’s, you know, it already got to the best one live best one loss tied percentage in common games. uh which is which is pretty interesting. So I don’t think the division will come into play. I think the Broncos are probably in in in a in a good spot there, but I guess you know, who knows? You you have another game against the Broncos. If you beat the Chargers, beat the Chargers. If you beat the Eagles, that puts you up to nine. If the Broncos fall, you have to imagine the Broncos are going to beat the Raiders. You know, you you have to imagine that they should be able to keep this twoame lead. if not um even extended if if obviously the Chargers end up losing um then you’re really just kind of solidified in the wild card spot and then it is going to be this song a dance between um you know trying to uh keep keep the tie the tiebreakers afloat right now. Um, but I I I still look at that schedule and I just think to myself, you have a you have a chance of because the Eagles are such a mess right now. You can definitely beat the Eagles. Um, you truly need Justin Herbert to be Justin Herbert against the Kansas City Chiefs. You truly need Justin Herbert to be Justin Herbert against the Cowboys. you need Justin Herbert you against this elite defense in the Houston Texans who are going to be fighting for their playoff hopes like this defense is going to be on fire and that O line is obviously a mess for the Chargers and so it’s like you’re going to need Justin Herbert to be healthy, free to run, ready to go. Um and then of course the Broncos is that is that big question mark game in terms of who are you even playing? You know, are you playing a bunch of second and third stringers or what’s the story there? Um, but the Eagles, I’d argue, out of all these games, um, you potentially don’t need Justin Herbert to be Justin Herbert, as we saw them lose to the Chicago Bears where Caleb Williams didn’t even play that great. He played okay, right? So, um, now obviously the Chargers don’t have as devastating as a run game as the Bears have currently, but I mean, yeah, I’m I’m just it’s there there’s just such a question mark about Justin Herbert’s health right now. Um, just the roster. You know, again, it’s one thing if this O line had done a good job of protecting Herbert, but it’s just like, you know, Justin Herbert’s banged up. Literally just had surgery and you’re throwing him back into a team and going against a against a team that has a good pass rush that can get to the quarter. Like, it’s just I don’t know what you do. Like, I don’t even know how you manage this, honestly. I really don’t. We can all pretend and say like, “Oh, well, they’re going to put a cast on him or a brace on him and he’ll be fine. and it’s on his non-throwing hit and it’s just like all that stuff sounds good and it sounds tough and it sounds like oh this is football this is what we do but like it’s you know it’s also risky. It’s also risky that you get him even more banged up and now you don’t really have the healthier version for um four really crucial games taking care of the Texans that is crucial whether no matter who wins that game between the Chiefs and the Texans that game now like they are at your heels and so being able to beat them being able to have the tiebreaker over them if they find themselves in the playoffs if the Colts fall out right like all that stuff ends up really really really mattering really that’s why I was trying to point to the tiebreakers and again it’s it’s hard to know where this will all lie in terms of the tiebreaking scenario but it’s like that game matters the Eagles you can make the argument matters the least out of all these games even if on the table on on the surface level it technically feels the easiest and I’m not saying that the Eagles are an easy team to beat they’re just trying to figure stuff out right now for all I know the Eagles are coming and they’re ready to be like no we are we are back on track and we are we are going for broke right now. We are playing out of our minds. And I could see the defense doing that too because the defense is embarrassed. They’re upset and the defense is well coached. The defense is well coached. The offense not so much. The defense is the defense is. And so the defense has the ability to say I don’t care who’s out there. Trey Lance, Justin Herbert, Philip Rivers, we are coming for you right. We are ready to just knock you out. We are We are getting after it. We are getting after it. Like I I would not be surprised if we see an incredibly in fact if I see anything less than an incredibly hyperaggressive, physical, brutal, hard-hitting defense out of the Philadelphia Eagles against the Chargers on Monday, then I’m like I’m I’m I got no faith in the Eagles. I got it’s like I’m done. I have no sense that they’ll be able to do anything moving forward because I believe they’re well coached. I believe in the pieces that they have and if they can’t come out there and cause some physical pain like he was focusing on Saquon Barkley and whatnot and it’s like the door is wide open for this Eagles offense to continue to struggle. I do not think the door should be open for the Eagles defense to struggle quite frankly. Um and if it does well then it’s just like the Eagles have some major major major problems. So, um there’s there’s a lot at stake for this game. Um so, it’s going to be interesting to see how the Chargers manage it, how they handle it. Um if Justin Herbert is playing, do they minimize his impact? Do they get the ball out of his hands very quickly? Is he willing to kind of scramble and run around and hold on to the ball and extend plays like becomes very unpredictable, very unpredictable. And um they’re in the playoffs. They have the playoff seed, but it’s, you know, Nick said, whether you believe this or not, thinks that it’s coming down between the Chiefs and the Chargers for that final playoff spot. That wouldn’t surprise me. I don’t see the Bills falling off. And I can see this the, you know, but again, we’ll have to see what happens against the Texans versus the Chiefs. That that ends up being a big domino if the Chiefs knock out the Texans. If the Texans knock out the Chiefs, in a lot of ways that ends up being, I feel as though better for the Chargers in a in a in a weird enough way. Um, I feel better about the Chargers finding a way to beat the Texans than I do the Chargers beating the Chiefs because of the whole division rival type thing. the chances of you sweeping a team like I don’t know like any of that other any of that other nonsense that you can add to the table of a game. Um even though that that defense is legit for the Texans that is legit and you know the weakness of the Chargers is very much the strength of the defense for uh the Texans. So I don’t know it’s messy man. Why can’t the Chargers just be healthy? If the if the Chargers could just be healthy and protect Justin Herbert, we wouldn’t be having any of these conversations. It would be very simple. It’d be very straightforward. It would be nothing to talk about. It would be very, you know, just, yeah, no, Charge, a great team, top team in the NFL. Uh, their playoff spot is pretty solidified. You know, they’re not going to, you know, slip out of the playoffs. And hey, the division is still on the table. Like, let’s go. Let’s get after it. But it’s not right now. It’s a great big mess. We might be on the sixth tiebreaking scenario. It’s just gosh, it could just be healthy. And I already hear Nick making excuses for the chart for the Chiefs. Well, they’re down three linemen, so I don’t know what that’s going to look like. And it’s like, you made fun of the Chargers all season long and made fun of Justin Herbert all season long. I’m getting myself all worked up right now at the very end of the clip. So, I’m going to let this go right now. But, um, yeah, Monday Night Football, Eagles, Chargers, both seemingly got to win. And you’re going to get, especially now on Monday for the Chargers, all those other teams played. So, you’re really going to know the scenario right now. And I guess that’ll also be a little bit more clearly defined where it’s like if the Chargers lose, where’s their, you know, are they still in the wild card? Have they now fallen out of the wild card? You know, what’s what’s that scenario? Um, so we’ll see. We’ll see. But those are just my thoughts. I’d absolutely love to hear yours. What do you guys all think about the San Diego Los Angeles Chargers? Uh, how do you feel about Justin Herbert playing? Do you think he’s going to play? Do you think he should play? How do you how do you manage that right now? How do you feel about going up against the Philadelphia Eagles? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I read every single comment. So, you agree with me or disagree with me. Either way, let’s get in some discussions. Let’s get in some fights. But ultimately, let’s just have some fun. Please do consider subscribing. We are building an amazing community here and absolutely love to see you part of it. I want to build something that we all generally feel connected to. Something that we’re really excited to be part of. I think we’re well on our way to doing it. Please don’t forget to give this video a thumbs up as it really does help with the visibility and the algorithm. Thank you so much. See you next time.

ESPN NFL LIVE | Los Angeles Chargers Have TOUGH CHOICE With Justin Herbert Vs Philadelphia
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