5 winners (and 1 loser) from Chargers' Week 3 win over Vikings
By Jason Reed
Chargers winner: Justin Herbert
Justin Herbert has played nearly perfect football to this point in the 2023 season. If we were to be nitpicky we could point out the two failed game-winning drives in Week 1 and Week 2 but in both of those cases Herbert's offensive line crumbled and he had no chance of making a play.
Minnesota saw that film from the first two weeks and decided to send the house at Herbert. The Vikings blitzed Herbert 40 times on Sunday and had an average of 2.26 seconds to throw. For most quarterbacks, that would be a recipe for disaster.
Not Herbert. The fourth-year quarterback made the right read and a great throw nearly every single time. This was more than Herbert just shining with his raw talent, this was a game in which he flexed his ability to read a defense and adjust. That was the one extra step he needed to take.
Herbert became just the second quarterback in NFL history to finish with over 400 passing yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a completion percentage of at least 85%. It was a masterclass and might be an appetizer for what can be a truly special 2023 season.
Herbert and the Chargers take on another bad defense next week against the Las Vegas Raiders, so fans can expect another masterclass by Herbert.