Ladies and gentlemen, the victorious Justin Herbert.
Give him a hand.
(The Chargers wish you could.)
Herbert, who has been knocked around all season but so far had avoided injury, saw that streak come to a disappointing end Sunday, even though the Chargers walked away with a 31-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. It was the Chargers’ most lopsided victory in the rivalry since 2008.
Their spiral-slinging star quarterback sustained an injury to his non-throwing hand that required him to briefly leave for the locker room in the first quarter. Herbert only missed part of one series and would lead his team to an AFC West win, but he was limited.
He had to operate out of shotgun, as opposed to being under center, wasn’t as sharp and accurate as he typically is, and protected a gloved left hand that looked borrowed from a Macy’s mannequin. He was still better than most NFL quarterbacks, though, even with one hand essentially tied behind his back. He completed 15 of 20 passes for 151 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception.