As has been the case all season, Justin Herbert was pummeled by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon. Except this time, Herbert and the LA Chargers couldn't do enough to save the game. They were thoroughly dominated.
Herbert took arguably his hardest hit of the season in the second quarter on a play that ended up not counting because of an illegal formation flag. This temporarily knocked Herbert out of the game and into the blue medical tent right before half.
Herbert wound up returning to the game in the second half but was later pulled in the fourth quarter once the game was out of reach. Naturally, given the punishment he's taken this season and the nature of the hits he took on Sunday, the main concern isn't with the result: it's with Herbert's health.
Thankfully, it doesn't appear Herbert suffered an injury that will impact the coming weeks. Head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters that Herbert was being evaluated for a concussion after the big hit. Herbert was in the clear, hence why he returned to the game.
Jim Harbaugh dispels any long-term Justin Herbert injury concerns
While this is a good development for Herbert's immediate future, it does not change the fact that the Chargers were walloped on Sunday. It doesn't excuse the self-inflicted wounds the Chargers have because of the offensive line.
There's only so much punishment Herbert can take before the entire operation comes crumbling down. Herbert's injury scare shouldn't be viewed as just a scare, it should be viewed for what it is: a true eye-opener for the Bolts.
Unfortunately, there's not much the Chargers can even do at this point. The NFL trade deadline has come and gone and an offensive line savior isn't going to walk through the door. This is the offensive line Herbert is stuck with.
One can hope that the return of Omarion Hampton and more creative play-calling can help quell some of these concerns. But that's only putting a Band-Aid on an open wound. The Chargers have fundamental issues that caps their ceiling lower than it should be. And the floor can bottom out at any time if Herbert suffers a serious injury.
The Chargers now have a week to reset and regroup with a much-needed bye. Herbert can give his body a week off from the punishment that he endures playing behind this Chargers offensive line.