More than 6,000 miles from Los Angeles, Justin Herbert delivered a statement win.
With just over two minutes left and the Chargers clinging to a six-point lead, Herbert faced third-and-14. Instead of playing it safe, he scrambled to his right, tore down the sideline, and slid for 19 yards sealing a 27-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil on Friday night.
It was the perfect ending to a brilliant performance: 318 passing yards, three touchdowns, and a long-awaited breakthrough for a Chargers team that had dropped seven straight to their AFC West rivals.
“Justin was phenomenal today in every way with pinpoint accuracy,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said after the win. “He did a great job with his legs and running at the end to seal the game. Overall toughness, took some big hits, and gave a few shots himself. It was incredible quarterback play.”
Herbert’s numbers back that up: 25 of 34 passing, no interceptions, a 131.7 passer rating, plus 32 yards rushing on seven carries. Even more impressive? He duelled Patrick Ma homes in a one-possession game something no quarterback had managed in the Chiefs’ last 17 tries, a record streak that stretched through the playoffs.
Still, Herbert downplayed the milestone.
“This was an important one because it was the first one,” he said. “It’s a very good opponent that we have a lot of respect for. But I’m happy with how all three phases executed today. That was our goal, and it was good to see.”
