NFL playoffs entrance: Chargers will always have a shot with Justin Herbert, but do they have enough firepower?
The Los Angeles Chargers overcame a lot of obstacles this season. With quarterback Justin Herbert under center, they'll always have a shot.
The Chargers have dealt with devastating injuries throughout their offensive line. Several key starters were sidelined. Their defense had just as much bad luck, with Joey Bosa going down early in the year. Who can also forget when the "Bolts" lost their number one wide receiver to Mike Williams as well?
Despite the rash that came with the injury bug, Brandon Staley's squad prevailed and peaked at the right time. That alone makes them a dangerous team.
In the end, Herbert proved to be the offensive catalyst that the Chargers expected him to be. He threw for four touchdowns in the final two games of the season. He also kept his turnovers down by throwing no interceptions during that span.
What has stood out the most for Herbert is that he's compiled a 71.0 pass completion percentage in his last four games. It's obvious that Herbert is locked in at the right time.
Dan Orlovsky: what do you want Tua to do, throw to receivers who aren’t open?!
Justin Herbert:
https://t.co/0cdmyOIkCL
NFL playoff picks: Why are the Chargers a good bet?
Herbert's inspired play is what makes the Chargers a good bet in the playoffs. Simply put, Herbert wants to silence his doubters and prove why he belongs in conversations with the league's other young quarterbacks. He believes he is in the same tier as Joe Burrow and Josh Allen.
Justin Herbert is HIM.
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The Chargers' defense has also been riding a hot streak in their final four games. If you take away Week 18 against the Denver Broncos, their defense had only surrendered 27 combined points during their previous three games. That sounds like a playoff-caliber defense. In the postseason, defense can be the difference between winning and losing.
Are Justin Herbert and the Chargers a nasty bet?
The weapons currently surrounding Justin Herbert are more than enough for a playoff run. First off, Mike Williams has gotten healthy at the right time.
He suffered an injury during their regular season finale. Social media was ablaze as to why Herbert's most trusted weapon was playing in a game that didn't mean anything. That's a fair point. Nevertheless, it appears he'll be good to go against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card round.
Justin Herbert just wants to the boys to get better even if it ruins the vibes https://t.co/g5M2OcIWGH
Herbert will also need to rely more on his running game to wear down a Jaguars' defense that's been going after the quarterback lately. Thankfully, the Chargers boast a solid running game with Cam Akers and Austin Ekeler leading the way. Herbert also has the luxury of having Joshua Palmer on the outside with Keenan Allen inside. Both receivers will be crucial in this playoff game.
Justin Herbert and the Chargers' passing game
Speaking of offense, a closer look at their group reveals why they're a nasty bet in these playoffs. Heading into the Wild Card round, Justin Herbert and the Chargers rank eighth in the NFL with 6,108 total yards. More importantly, the passing offense led by Herbert has thrown for 4,584 yards; good for third in the league.
Herbert is simply on another level right now with what he brings to the table. Just take a look at his percentage of on-target throws, which sits at 75.6 on the year. He's also recorded just 12.9 percent of bad throws per passing attempt this season. it has gone down in each of his last three seasons, respectively.
Despite facing a career-high number of blitzes this season (182), Justin Herbert knows when to get the ball out quickly. He's going to make any team, including the Jaguars, pay dearly in the playoffs if they can't get to him.