For a team that has had very little go its way this season, the Los Angeles Chargers’ first injury report of the week brought some really good news.

Justin Herbert, who left Sunday’s 44-22 loss to Houston with an injury to the middle finger on his left hand, didn’t appear on Thursday’s report at all.

That means no limited tag and no full-participation note, just a quarterback ready to get back to work before a Monday night trip to Baltimore.

The injury happened late in the fourth quarter, when Herbert tried to stiff-arm Texans defensive lineman Logan Hall in the middle of one of the eight sacks he took that afternoon, a career high.

Herbert wanted to stay in the game, but Jim Harbaugh overruled him and sent in DJ Uiagalelei to finish the blowout.

X-rays the next day came back negative for a fracture; Harbaugh said his quarterback “should be good to go,” and Thursday’s practice report backed that up.

Herbert’s season has been the hardest of his career as his 11 interceptions are tied with Drake Maye for the league lead, and the Chargers have lost 11 straight games dating back to last season, their longest skid since the franchise started 0-11 in 2000.

Even so, the alternative would have been much worse. Uiagalelei, an undrafted rookie out of Florida State, finished his NFL debut 2-of-7 for 24 yards with a late touchdown.

That’s an encouraging start for a backup, but it’s not a reason to hand him a Monday night start on the road.

Herbert has also played through a worse left-hand injury before. Late last season, he had surgery to stabilize a fracture in that same non-throwing hand and still prepared to play days later, practicing in a cast.

A finger that X-rays cleared is a much smaller problem, and the Monday kickoff gives him an extra day to heal.

The timing matters too. Baltimore will start Jacoby Brissett, who just arrived via trade, with Lamar Jackson out for the season and Tyler Huntley also hurt.

The Ravens have lost four straight, and Brissett will have had less than a week to learn a new offense.

If the Chargers are going to win a game this season, this is the matchup where their edge at quarterback is greatest. 

Herbert’s 58-yard touchdown to Quentin Johnston ended a drought of 37 straight possessions without a touchdown, and the late scores against Houston showed that the downfield passing game still works when the protection holds.

The Ravens are getting healthier on defense, with Kyle Hamilton and Nate Wiggins both back in practice so that it won’t be easy.

Still with the Jets coming to SoFi the following week, Herbert's health gives Los Angeles a realistic chance to string together its first wins of the season.