The Los Angeles Chargers’ nightmare season somehow slipped even lower on Sunday. A brutal 44-22 loss to the Houston Texans dropped LA to 0-8, but the scoreboard wasn’t even the worst part of the afternoon. It was one costly injury to QB Justin Herbert that could threaten their season.
Late in the fourth quarter, quarterback Justin Herbert was forced to exit after taking a beating and injuring the middle finger on his left (non-throwing) hand. While the full severity remains unknown, head coach Jim Harbaugh admitted post-game that it “could be a fracture. We’ll find out”.
Justin Herbert to Undergo Hand-Injury Testing
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, ” Herbert is undergoing further testing. For his part, the QB downplayed the long-term impact on his non-throwing hand, insisting he’ll do ‘whatever I can to make sure I’m 100 percent’ for Week 10.
The injury caps off one of the worst statistical afternoons of Herbert’s career. He was sacked a career-high eight times — the most taken by a Chargers QB since Dan Fouts in 1976, per ESPN’s Insights.
He also threw his NFL-leading 11th interception, marking eight straight games with an INT to start the season, the longest such streak since Peyton Manning in 2015.
Since Herbert stepped out, backup DJ Uiagalelei stepped into a 20-point deficit. While his 2-for-7 line was far from polished, Uiagalelei provided the lone late-game spark by throwing a 15-yard touchdown on his opening drive, helping the Chargers save whatever face they could. The former Florida State QB even scored a touchdown on his opening drive.
It was a perfect NFL debut for him in a very imperfect situation.
DJ Uiagalelei Came in as Replacement
Even if it was garbage time, he showed juice. At 0-8, what does Jim Harbaugh actually have to lose by letting the young guy get a run?
At 0-8, no position is sacred. While Uiagalelei unseating a potentially healthy Herbert seems unthinkable on paper, Chargers fans are past the point of patience. With Herbert battling a hand injury and throwing picks in eight straight games, Harbaugh is running out of reasons not to test what he has in the rookie.
Before exiting, Herbert had just 193 yards, a touchdown and an interception. It was Herbert’s first touchdown since Week 5.
Chargers Forced to Wait on Justin Herbert’s Injury Status Moving Forward