Chargers' Justin Herbert poised for changing of the guard from Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes

With the Kansas City Chiefs’ surprising collapse, there will definitely be a changing of the guard atop the AFC West this season. And given the latest heroic performance by the Los Angeles Chargers‘ star quarterback Monday night, is there also about to be a passing of the baton?

Then: Patrick Mahomes. Now: Justin Herbert?

With apologies to the division-leading Denver Broncos and quarterback Bo Nix, this season has all the feel of Herbert doing – and being – everything Mahomes has been for the last decade. The Chiefs have won the AFC West for nine consecutive seasons, but with last Sunday night’s loss mathematically eliminated them from a 10th.

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The 6-7 Chiefs are merely scrambling for a Wild Card berth, and Mahomes is left scratching his head after one of the worst starts of his career in the home loss to Houston. Herbert, meanwhile, turned in an iconic performance in the overtime win over the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles.

Just one week after surgery for a broken bone, Herbert beat the Eagles essentially with one hand tied behind his back.

He was under duress all night, sacked seven times, fumbled twice and was held to completing only 46 percent of his passes. He played with screws in his hand, blood on his elbow and – most importantly – a fire in his gut.

Trailing 19-16 late in the fourth quarter, Herbert led an 11-play drive that featured clutch scrambles of seven, four and nine yards to set up Cameron Dicker’s game-tying field goal. In overtime, his 12-yard run started a drive that led to another Dicker field goal and, ultimately, another signature win for the Bolts.

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The game-winning drive was the 19th of Herbert’s career since entering the league in 2020. Only one quarterback has more in that time: Mahomes (20).

The Chargers travel to Arrowhead Sunday to hopefully put the Chiefs out of their misery and force Mahomes to pass his mantle.

Justin Herbert