The Los Angeles Chargers announced today that starting quarterback Justin Herbert will sit out Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos, which has massive implications for the Broncos as they try and secure the top seed in the AFC.
Herbert has been playing through a variety of injuries, including a broken left hand, so it’s hard to question the decision, although the timing is more than a little intriguing.
"Winning and health, being healthy, those are our two objectives," Harbaugh said in a piece written by Kris Rhim of ESPN. "And guys that we think -- the doctors, the trainers, myself, organization -- that have the most bruises and need that time the most, we've decided that's the direction we're going."
Instead, backup quarterback Trey Lance will the the nod for the Chargers, which will certainly make game prep easier for Denver, and practice squad quarterback DJ Uiagalelei will be elevated to become the backup. But the decision likely won’t be take well by both the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars, both of whom still have a shot at the top seed.
The flip side of this particular call is that Harbaugh has treated Herbert like a running back all year. He’s lauded the toughness of his quarterback, and Herbert has been taking risks in the open field, including a jaunt against the Houston Texans when he bounced off a would-be tackler rather than slide.
Herbert recently was selected to his second Pro Bowl, and eh’ll finish this year with 3,727 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also rushed for a career-high 498 yards and added two more scores, according to Rhim.
But Harbaugh is sticking to his story when it comes to the health side of the equation.
"Health and winning. That's it," he said. "There's no way to predict. We're going on the road, first round. All potential teams would be good, and we'll get ourselves ready for that."
The Chargers are currently sitting in the sixth seed in the AFC, although they could drop further on Sunday. They have clinched a playoff berth, but they could move up to the five seed with a win over Denver and some help from other teams. It’s all very murky at the moment, and a lot of this comes under the category of Harbaugh being Harbaugh, which is a familiar story line for those who have followed his quirky side throughout his career.