Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh ruled out star passer Justin Herbert Monday for next Sunday’s final game of the season against the Denver Broncos, the top team in the NFL’s American Conference.
“The players who have more bumps and need more recovery will be removed. Justin Herbert will be one of them, he has several injuries that he needs to heal from; we are going to need him for the playoffs,” said the coach.
Herbert, has been dealing with recovering from a fractured back of his left hand suffered in the Week 13 game against the Las Vegas Raiders and a sprained ankle suffered a week later against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The 27-year-old quarterback will conclude his sixth season in Los Angeles with 16 starts in which he completed 340 of 512 completions for a 66.4 percent completion rate, good for 3,727 yards.
In addition, he had 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. On the ground he accumulated 498 yards, the best record of his career, and two touchdowns.
The Chargers, who already have their ticket to the playoffs, are in sixth place among the seven teams that qualify, so a win in Week 18, the last week of the season, against the Broncos, would help them climb up the standings, something that will be more complicated without Herbert at the controls, although his coach is confident otherwise.
“Winning and getting healthy are our two goals heading into the ‘playoffs,’ but we have to be smart. The players who, we believe doctors, trainers, the organization and I believe have more bumps and need more time, will likely be sidelined,” Harbaugh explained.
Trey Lance will be the quarterback in charge of leading the offense against Denver, his backup will be 24-year-old DJ Uiagalelei.
“Trey has done a great job, he prepares wonderfully, executes well, throws with touch and accuracy. He has presence and knows how to use his legs, his intelligence is excellent. I think he needs the opportunity to play, be a starter and go out and show what he can do,” the coach concluded.
With information from EFE
