Chargers QB Justin Herbert earning national spotlight alongside Allen, Jackson

The idea that Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is about to reach a new level of play continues to grow.

It’s a pervasive idea, to say the least. Herbert just went to Brazil and flashed a new aspect of his game that coordinator Greg Roman unlocked. 

That, while outdueling Patrick Mahomes to the tune of 318 passing yards and a trio of touchdowns in a game under the global microscope. 

Hence, Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano tagging Herbert as one of his winners of the week, while also pointing out that other elite quarterbacks needed a little time to escape struggles: 

“Herbert is a legitimate franchise quarterback and has struggled in the playoffs—just like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Maybe Herbert hasn’t been as good as those two MVP QBs, but Herbert has the skill set and clutch performances to suggest that one day he could reach that elite tier on a consistent basis.”

In Herbert’s case, he’s needed to grow as a player, but more importantly, escape a terribly run organization that didn’t do him any favors. That’s why it’s easier to remember that he’s struggled in the playoffs, not that he’s the guy who once threw for 5,014 yards and 38 scores in a single season. 

With Jim Harbaugh in town and the Chargers acting like a normal team, Herbert is indeed free to grow as a player and reach for those new heights.