Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert had a ‘special’ take for his head coach Jim Harbaugh following their 22-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
“To have a guy leading the charge like that and a locker room that buys in and follows him, you know, it’s a special day as well for him to get his first win,” Herbert said, via ESPN.
The Chargers hired Harbaugh in late January, immediately following him winning a National Championship with the Michigan Wolverines. His players and coaches loved Harbaugh for the eight years he was in Ann Arbor. Fast forward to winning Week 1 with the Chargers, and it’s more of the same.
Harbaugh had something special happen in his own right. He became the first NFL head coach to win in his first five opening games after Week 1. For a Chargers team that only won five games this season prior, this is a good look for Harbaugh. It’s also a promising statistic for Herbert, as he’s only had two winning seasons and one playoff appearance since entering the league.
What can Chargers’ Justin Herbert expect from Jim Harbaugh?
Herbert can expect a balanced attack. Unfortunately, the former Oregon quarterback has dealt with a carousel of head coaches since entering the league. He played under Anthony Lynn during his rookie season, and then Brandon Staley until midway through the 2023 season. Staley was fired after an embarrassing 63-21 loss against the Raiders on Thursday night football.
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Harbaugh always had traction to head back to the NFL, and specifically Los Angeles. Since 2022, he interviewed for the Minnesota Vikings head coaching position. The following year, the Denver Broncos interviewed Harbaugh before hiring former New Orleans Saints head coach, Sean Payton.
Herbert was the main reason that Harbaugh chose the Chargers. Before their Week 1 showing, Harbaugh was ‘fired up’ for his star quarterback and showed a lot of confidence in him. Although Herbert threw 17-for-26 with 144 yards and one touchdown, it was a well-rounded game. The Chargers defense forced one interception and two fumbles, both of which were recovered by Los Angeles.
Former Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins returned from an Achilles injury and had a monster game. He had 10 rushes for 135 yards and a touchdown. Dobbins also had a 61-yard run, the longest gain of any offensive player in the game. The balance of the passing and running game, along with the improved defense shows why the Chargers can make some noise in the AFC.
