{"id":298744,"date":"2025-10-13T02:02:20","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T02:02:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/298744\/"},"modified":"2025-10-13T02:02:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T02:02:20","slug":"justin-herberts-miracle-escape-spurs-chargers-to-win-over-dolphins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/298744\/","title":{"rendered":"Justin Herbert&#8217;s miracle escape spurs Chargers to win over Dolphins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The play will live on a loop in <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/chargers\/story\/2025-09-12\/jim-harbaugh-on-his-time-with-raiders\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jim Harbaugh<\/a>\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n<p>Thirty-four seconds left. The <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/chargers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chargers<\/a> trailing by a point and needing 20 yards to get into range for a field goal. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/chargers\/story\/2024-11-15\/bengals-chargers-justin-herbert-three-sport-high-school-star\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Justin Herbert<\/a> drops back under heavy pressure from his right side, and suddenly has Miami Dolphins linebacker <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\/players\/jaelan-phillips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jaelan Phillips<\/a> hanging on his torso like a 260-pound Hula-Hoop.<\/p>\n<p>The quarterback \u2014 in what his coach would call a \u201cHercules\u201d move \u2014 twisted free of a sure sack and completed a short pass to <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/chargers\/story\/2025-08-12\/chargers-training-camp-ladd-mcconkey\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ladd McConkey<\/a>, who shook a defender with an ankle-snapping juke and picked up 42 yards before running out of bounds at the 17.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t just the signature moment of a <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/static.www.nfl.com\/image\/upload\/v1760299625\/gamecenter\/f7108f78-311e-11f0-b670-ae1250fadad1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">29-27 victory<\/a> over the Dolphins \u2014 cemented by <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/chargers\/story\/2025-09-02\/chargers-special-teams-brotherhood-bond\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cameron Dicker<\/a>\u2019s fifth field goal of the day \u2014 but a Houdini-like escape from a third loss in a row.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s a mighty man,\u201d Harbaugh said of his quarterback. \u201cI mean, there\u2019s only a few in the game who can make that play.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The coach, having played quarterback in the NFL, knows the difficulty of keeping your balance and your wits to make that play. It was somewhat similar to Herbert\u2019s sidearmed, \u201cMatrix\u201d-worthy touchdown pass in the <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/chargers\/story\/2025-09-21\/chargers-denver-broncos-afc-west-victory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">win over Denver in Week 3<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s at a physical level only a couple guys can reach,\u201d Harbaugh said. \u201cBut mentally, it\u2019s an emotionally hijacking thing to be spun around like that. To keep your wits, visualize where someone is, relocate, lock back in, and make an accurate throw. &#8230; That\u2019s reserved for the best of the best.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>           <video playsinline=\"playsinline\" loop=\"\" preload=\"none\" title=\"Takeaways from the Chargers\u2019 win over the Miami Dolphins\" data-video-id=\"00000199-dad2-de36-a7db-dad6fc020000\">               <\/video>                 <img class=\"image\" alt=\"\"   width=\"473\" height=\"840\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1760320938_288_\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>             <\/p>\n<ul data-element=\"action-bar-menu\" class=\"flex gap-2 list-none  absolute w-full h-10 top-0\">\n<li data-element=\"action-bar-share\" class=\"flex  w-full h-10 top-0 lg:items-center lg:justify-center \">\n<p> Share via     Close extra sharing options  <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"video-enhancement-title\">Sam Farmer breaks down what went right for the Chargers in their 29-27 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>There were many more elements to that winning drive, and Harbaugh is happy to list them, including the 40-yard kickoff return by <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chargers.com\/team\/players-roster\/nyheim-hines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nyheim Hines<\/a> and the sure-footed kicking of Dicker, who in his four-year NFL career has never missed a field goal inside of 40 yards.<\/p>\n<p>But the bigger picture is that, like Herbert on that play, the Chargers have reset and delivered. They won their first three games, lost the next two, and now have won again despite key injuries all over the roster.<\/p>\n<p>Their offensive line is a poker deck, shuffled and reshuffled, and they\u2019re down to their third-string running back with both <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/chargers\/story\/2025-10-06\/chargers-rookie-running-back-omarion-hampton-injured-reserve\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton<\/a> sidelined by injuries. They didn\u2019t have receiver <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/sports\/chargers\/story\/2025-07-20\/quentin-johnston-chargers-mike-williams-receivers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Quentin Johnston<\/a> for Sunday\u2019s game, either.<\/p>\n<p>Then again, they weren\u2019t going to elicit much sympathy from the banged-up Dolphins, who dropped to 1-5, have the NFL\u2019s worst run defense and, not surprisingly, morale that\u2019s sinking like the Everglades.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have guys showing up to player-only meetings late,\u201d Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa revealed from the podium in his post-game comments. \u201cGuys not showing up to player-only meetings \u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a lot that goes into that. Do we have to make this mandatory? Do we not have to make this mandatory?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The season is slipping away for the Dolphins and the team is awash in questions. The sparse crowd that showed up for the muggy day at Hard Rock Stadium nearly saw the home team pull off a dramatic victory. After generating minus-11 yards of offense in the third quarter, the Dolphins came alive in the fourth and scored a pair of touchdowns.<\/p>\n<p>With 46 seconds to play, Tagovailoa found Darren Waller with a seven-yard touchdown pass that gave Miami a 27-26 advantage, the sixth lead change of the day.<\/p>\n<p>The Chargers looked doomed. To everyone but the Chargers, that is.<\/p>\n<p>            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert scrambles during the second half against the Dolphins.\"   width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1760320939_472_\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert scrambles during the second half against the Dolphins.<\/p>\n<p>(Lynne Sladky \/ Associated Press)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe knew we had a timeout left,\u201d guard Zion Johnson said. \u201cWe knew if we had an opportunity, we were going to have a shot to win that game.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Chargers had already gotten a tremendous performance from little-used running back Kimani Vidal, who ran for 124 yards and turned a dump-off pass into a seven-yard touchdown.<\/p>\n<p>Miami knows enough to pay attention to no-name backs. A week earlier, the Dolphins were burned for 206 yards by Carolina reserve Rico Dowdle.<\/p>\n<p>But Vidal, a sixth-round pick from Troy University in 2024, is a well-known playmaker in the eyes of his teammates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe know how electric he is,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cIt\u2019s great for the world to see what type of running back he is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"Chargers running back Kimani Vidal scores a touchdown in the third quarter Sunday against the Dolphins.\"   width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1760320940_827_\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>Chargers running back Kimani Vidal scores a touchdown in the third quarter Sunday against the Dolphins.<\/p>\n<p>(Carmen Mandato \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>Vidal was quick, and so too was the flight back to Los Angeles \u2014 or at least that\u2019s what the Chargers were anticipating.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s going to feel a lot shorter,\u201d offensive tackle Austin Deculus said. \u201cAnd tomorrow morning, breakfast is going to taste a whole lot better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harbaugh, meanwhile, intends to savor the moment, and that classic play from his quarterback.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat play,\u201d he said, \u201cwill burn in my mind until they throw dirt on top of me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t throw that dirt yet. On Harbaugh, or the Chargers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The play will live on a loop in Jim Harbaugh\u2019s mind. Thirty-four seconds left. The Chargers&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":298745,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5123],"tags":[152189,152190,1582,276,69649,7151,42466,15917,1910,29334,152066,2961,224,5337,380,5950,50647,2452,2030,80883],"class_list":{"0":"post-298744","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-35-yard-field-goal","9":"tag-backup-sunday","10":"tag-ca","11":"tag-california","12":"tag-cameron-dicker","13":"tag-chargers","14":"tag-dolphin","15":"tag-dolphins","16":"tag-game","17":"tag-justin-herbert","18":"tag-kimani-vidal","19":"tag-la","20":"tag-los-angeles","21":"tag-losangeles","22":"tag-miami","23":"tag-season","24":"tag-touchdown","25":"tag-week","26":"tag-win","27":"tag-yard"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115364400128899188","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298744","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=298744"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298744\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/298745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=298744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=298744"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=298744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}