The Los Angeles Chargers are in the playoff hunt, but have a strict schedule for the final five weeks. This upcoming Monday Night, they play a struggling Philadelphia Eagles team. Even so, Chargers star quarterback Justin Herbert is dealing with a fractured hand, which adds another level of intrigue to the game. Luckily, Herbert provided a positive update on the injury.
Dive into PFSN’s FREE Mock Draft Simulator and run a mock by yourself or with your friends!
Will Justin Herbert Play?
On Wednesday, Herbert spoke about the potential of playing Monday night against the Eagles. According to Daniel Popper of The Athletic, Herbert said, “That’s the plan, is to prepare as if I’m going to play. See how the next couple of days go and do everything I can to be out there for the team.”
He added, ”As long as it’s stabilized and fixed and the doctors feel comfortable with it, then I think you can move on to just playing and just trying not to focus on it too much.” Head coach Jim Harbaugh echoed these same sentiments earlier on Wednesday morning.
Herbert fractured his non-throwing hand early in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Despite the severity of the injury, Herbert only missed one drive. One day after the game, he underwent surgery to stabilize the fracture.
Even with the discomfort Herbert likely felt playing through the hand injury, he put together a decent day. He completed 75% of his passes (15 of 20) for 155 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
According to PFSN’s quarterback impact metric, Herbert was the eighth-ranked QB with an impact score of 78.6. That type of efficiency shows why his presence is so crucial to the Chargers’ playoff hopes.
Although Herbert gives the Chargers their best chance to beat Philadelphia, putting him out there with a hand fracture could be dangerous.
MORE: ‘Greed Ruins Everything’ — Fans Call for ‘Boycott’ of NFL RedZone After Frustrating Change
The Eagles’ defense is coming off a game where they were utterly dominated, so they’ll be looking to make up for that. The Chargers, on the other hand, have been playing with a depleted offensive line almost the entire season.
Those two factors don’t seem to favor Herbert and Los Angeles. If the Eagles’ pass rush can reach Herbert, they will surely be going after his injured hand. If they can force him out of the game, it’s almost a guaranteed win against Trey Lance.
Nevertheless, this last month is of the utmost importance for the Chargers. Thus, if Herbert can play, then you must play him, even if he risks further injury.