The Los Angeles Chargers Finally Taste Victory As Justin Herbert Stirs The Drink Once Again To Snap Skid

SportsMoney The Los Angeles Chargers Finally Taste Victory As Justin Herbert Stirs The Drink Once Again To Snap Skid Jay Paris Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I cover the Chargers and Rams Following New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. Got it! New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Nov 28, 2022, 10:23am EST | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert greets fans after he rallied L.

A. to a 25-24 victory . .

. [+] in Sunday’s game in the closing minute to snap the team’s two-game losing streak. (AP Photo/Ross D.

Franklin) Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved The Los Angeles Chargers, thanks to quarterback Justin Herbert, got to the sweet stuff after two sour gulps. “Smooth like chocolate milk,’’ Chargers coach Brandon Staley said of his young star.

Herbert led the L. A. over the Arizona Cardinals by orchestrating a last-minute drive which resulted in a 25-24 victory.

The thrilling win snapped a two-game Chargers slide in which the previous pair of L. A. losses ended with Herbert tossing interceptions.

The Chargers, just like Sunday, needed touchdowns on their final drives to maintain a pulse. After falling short twice, Herbert hitched up his britches and went to work one more time with an stirring effort that included a go-ahead, two-point conversion for an exclamation point and the triumph in the closing seconds. There were no Herbert picks late on Sunday.

Instead it was Herbert showing once again while he’s the best draft pick L. A. general manager Tom Telesco ever produced.

The Chargers, as they so often are, were on the ropes in the desert. They trailed Arizona 24-13 with less than a minute remaining, but they still had more than most in Herbert. Surprisingly someone now minus more game-winning drives than Herbert is Kansas City Chiefs standout Patrick Mahomes.

Mahomes earned 12 of those, to Herbert’s 11, before the drive that likely saved the Chargers’ season. After Herbert connected with tight end Gerald Everett in the end zone for the winning heave, the story of the Chargers’ season circling the drain went down the pipes. MORE FOR YOU Why The Rock’s Social Media Muscle Made Him Hollywood’s Highest-Paid Actor Investment Insight For Millennials The Timing Is Right For An ‘Elden Ring’ DLC Reveal At The Game Awards “They way Justin played today is what makes him so special,’’ Staley said.

“We wouldn’t have won without him. ’’ The win not only underscored Herbert’s confidence and command of the game, but it lowered the temperature on Staley’s seat as well. Staley has proved to be a player favorite, but the standings haven’t been as kind to the first-time head coach at any level since he took over for Anthony Lynn in 2021.

With the season turning to December, the Chargers (6-5) are without a win against a team that was over . 500 and are on the fringes of the AFC playoff race. This comes after the Chargers failed to qualify for the postseason last year with a 9-8 mark, despite having Herbert’s considerable skills as Staley was earning his stripes.

If Herbert doesn’t pull the Chargers out of the fire on Sunday with his last-minute scoring passes to running back Austin Ekeler and Everett, the criticism of Staley was bound to blossom. The Chargers can’t afford to let their window of financially opportunity pass by not taking advantage of Herbert being on the third year of his four-year, $26. 5 milllion rookie contract.

Plus with every Chargers loss, the whispers of Super Bowl-winning coach Sean Payton’s availability was growing louder. But in silencing the Cardinals boosters on Sunday, Herbert bought Staley, and the team, some time. What we’ve learned with Herbert is if the clock hasn’t hit zero, the Chargers have a shot.

That chance turned into a victory on Sunday, even if it was accompanied by a chocolate milk mustache. Follow me on Twitter . Jay Paris Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.