Justin Herbert and Chargers show true grit, defeating Eagles in an OT turnover-fest
Chargers cornerback Cam Hart (20) celebrates after deflecting a pass that is intercepted by safety Tony Jefferson (23) to seal a 22-19 overtime win over the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium on Monday night.(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)All that talk about the left hand of Justin Herbert, and it's the right foot of Cameron Dicker that made the difference.
Dicker kicked five field goals Monday night to lift the Chargers to a 22-19 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in a wild, turnover-filled game at SoFi Stadium.
On a night when the teams combined for eight turnovers - including a career-high four interceptions by Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts - the game fittingly ended with an interception. Tony Jefferson latched onto a pass that was tipped by fellow Chargers defensive back Cam Hart, snuffing out the Eagles' last chance.
So Dicker's 54-yard field goal with 6:24 remaining in the extra period provided the margin of victory, just as it was Dicker who forced overtime with a 46-yarder in the waning moments of regulation.
What a team we have," Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said, practically shouting at the postgame podium. That's my reaction - what a team we have. They refuse to lose."
It was practically do or die for a banged-up team that needed to win at least two of its final five games for a realistic chance at the playoffs. Now, the Chargers (9-4) need to win at least one of a brutal four-game stretch - at Kansas City and Dallas, at home against Houston, and a finale at AFC West-leading Denver, which has won 10 in a row.
Opportunity awaits, but it's among the NFL's toughest stretch runs.
That said, the Chargers are a tough team. They proved that throughout the near-constant reshuffling of their offensive line, the loss of their top two running backs - one of whom returned Monday night - and the injury to Herbert, who underwent surgery last Monday to repair a fracture in his non-throwing hand.
Harbaugh deemed the performance, Great with a capital G."
Despite a week of outside speculation about his availability, Herbert conceded after Monday's game that he knew even before surgery that he wasn't going to miss a game. He played with a small cast on his left hand and was even using that bandaged appendage to stiff-arm defenders. He was his team's leading rusher with 10 carries for 66 yards.
Read more:Why Justin Herbert won't let his broken hand shatter the unwritten rule of QB toughness
It felt like we were in a movie where the quarterback is doing these things and you get to the point where you go, OK, this is getting a little unrealistic,'" Harbaugh said. That's what it felt like to me."
Nonetheless, Herbert absorbed a beating. He was sacked a career-high seven times and hit 11 more, and didn't have a healthy left arm to break his fall, so more than once he was violently slammed to the turf.
He definitely sets the standard," Chargers guard Mekhi Becton said of the quarterback. For him to get surgery a week ago and be back on the field today, it's contagious, for sure. It makes you want to go hard for him."
Philadelphia was in prime position to forge another tie in overtime. The Eagles (8-5) answered Dicker's fifth field goal by driving to the Chargers' 41, the outer edge of kicker Jake Elliott's range. They wanted to get a little closer, however, so the offense stayed on the field for a fourth and four.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert tries to get rid of the ball while being sacked during the first half Monday.(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)That's when Chargers defensive lineman Odafe Oweh was flagged for a neutral-zone infraction, giving the visitors a first down. A couple of completed passes and the Eagles had a first down on the 17 - and that's when Hurts was intercepted for a fourth and final time.
Hurts had just two interceptions in his first 12 games this season. At one point in the second quarter, he had both an interception and a fumble on the same play. His pass over the middle was picked off by Da'Shawn Hand, who subsequently fumbled. Hurts got the ball back but he too fumbled, and the Chargers wound up with it.
This was a Super Bowl QB, so we have a lot of respect for what he's done," Jefferson said of Hurts, who was Most Valuable Player in the victory over Kansas City last February. But we wanted to come out and showcase our brand of football."
All the Chargers defenders were awarded a game ball, as was defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
Read more:Chargers' Cameron Dicker at the forefront of a redefining era for NFL kickers
Herbert got one as well.
I just think about the guys in that locker room," he said. They do it for us. So many guys fight through things worse than what I'm going through. It's the least I can do to show up and give my best.
I draw a lot of inspiration from those guys, and hopefully I can have an impact on them too."
The quarterback showed his grit - decidedly not a left-handed compliment.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert grimaces in pain after being tackled by Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in the second half Monday night.(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.