LA Chargers: 3 things to root for on Thursday vs. Las Vegas Raiders
By Jason Reed
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports – LA Chargers
2. Justin Herbert to set the single-season rookie passing touchdown record
Justin Herbert and the LA Chargers have three more games to play in the 2020 season. Justin Herbert needs just three more touchdown passes to reach 28 passing touchdowns, which would set history.
Baker Mayfield broke the all-time rookie passing touchdown record in 2018 by tossing 27 passing touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns. Despite missing Week 1, Herbert just needs two more touchdowns to tie Baker and three to become the outright leader.
There is a good chance he gets to 30, which can be the next thing that we root for. For now, we need to hope that he can at least get those three touchdowns and you don’t want to be the Charger fan that isn’t watching if he breaks the record on primetime.
This is the kind of thing that is written in the stars. Passing records almost always seem to be broken on primetime (just ask Drew Brees) and this provides Herbert the perfect situation to shine on a national spotlight.
Herbert has five three-touchdown games this season and tossed two touchdowns in one of his best games this season against the Raiders. If Mike Williams or Donald Parham would have come down with goalline fades then he would have already had a three-touchdown game against Las Vegas.
Vegas does not have a great defense and while Anthony Lynn will likely run the ball often against this terrible run defense, it should be Herbert that gets the chance to finish drives in the red zone.