LAS VEGAS — Watching Justin Herbert scramble for 41 yards within the Chargers’ regular-season finale towards the Las Vegas Raiders, how might you not suppose it?
Watching Quentin Johnston catch every thing Herbert threw in his neighborhood, how might you not really feel it?
This would be the season Justin Herbert lastly wins his first playoff recreation — and perhaps even his second.
The form of postseason run that as soon as was believed to be one other 12 months or two away instantly feels inside attain for Herbert and his group, which is getting into the playoffs because the AFC’s No. 5 seed with a winnable wild-card recreation forward towards the Houston Texans.
“I think it’s always an exciting opportunity to go play in the playoffs,” Herbert mentioned. “That’s all you want. You just want a ticket to the dance.”
By reaching the playoffs of their first season with Jim Harbaugh as their coach, the Chargers did what they set out to do that season.
They established a extra bodily fashion of play.
They remodeled their tradition.
They exorcised the fatalism that permeated their group for nearly the whole thing of its existence.
However the Chargers won’t have to attend for basic supervisor Joe Hortiz to spherical out their roster over the following couple of offseasons to win some significant video games, as their 34-20 victory over the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium opened the opportunity of them doing one thing particular immediately.
“I think we’re in a good place,” Harbaugh mentioned, “and fellas are ready to roll.”
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert passes towards the Raiders within the second half Sunday.
(John Locher / Related Press)
Their Week 18 recreation towards the Raiders represented a fork within the street for the Chargers, with a loss sending them into one other Harbaugh Bowl towards the formidable Baltimore Ravens and a win right into a matchup with the significantly extra beatable Texans.
The Chargers responded by doing what they’ve completed all season: They beat a group they need to beat, with Herbert passing for 346 yards and two touchdowns.
Now, they are going to journey to Houston on Saturday to tackle the fourth-seeded Texans, who, frankly, don’t look excellent.
Enjoying behind a porous offensive line, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has regressed in his second season. Receivers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell had been misplaced to season-ending knee accidents. The operating recreation has been inconsistent.
Earlier than closing the common season with a 23-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans, the Texans had been destroyed by the Ravens on Christmas Day.
If the Chargers can beat the Texans at NRG Stadium, who is aware of what else they’ll do? Their divisional-round opponent can be the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, who is perhaps a greater matchup for them than the Ravens.
The sport towards the Texans shall be solely the second postseason recreation Herbert has performed.
The opposite: The devastating loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars two years in the past through which the Chargers blew a 27-point lead.
Herbert definitely has regarded higher ready for a postseason breakthrough. His passer ranking of 101.7 this season was a profession greatest. Solely three of his passes had been intercepted this season, which was a profession low.
He could possibly be with out his most essential protector in Houston, nevertheless, as left deal with Rashawn Slater was inactive towards the Raiders as “he felt something” in his knee throughout the group’s pregame stretch, in response to Harbaugh.
Chargers extensive receiver Quentin Johnston celebrates after Sunday’s win over the Raiders.
(Jeff Lewis / Related Press)
Slater will endure an MRI examination.
The Chargers emerged from their win over the Raiders with considerations about Slater however with optimism over the type of Johnston. A former first-round choose, Johnston’s profession has been marred by drops, however he regarded like a totally totally different receiver on Sunday, catching 13 passes for 186 yards.
Each had been profession highs.
Johnston recalled a very robust recreation he had in a loss to the Ravens in Week 12 when he was focused 5 instances solely to complete with no catch.
He mentioned he was grateful to his coaches and teammates for reassuring him that they nonetheless trusted him.
“At that point,” Johnston mentioned, “I have no choice but to watch the film, get better and show up for my teammates.”
If Johnston can stay as reliable as he was on Sunday, he would give Herbert one other official receiving risk to associate with Ladd McConkey, who caught 82 passes for 1,149 yards as a rookie.
He offers Herbert and the Chargers an opportunity, not solely on Saturday but additionally within the weeks forward as properly.
“It’s just a great opportunity,” Herbert mentioned. “It’s all the hard work we’ve put in through OTAs and through camp and we’re now at this position. So we’ve got to make the most of it and take advantage of it.”
