Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert had an impressive performance on Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys, leading his team to a 28-24 victory. But one of the most memorable plays of the game came when Herbert completed a pass to himself for a first down.
The play happened in the second quarter, when the Chargers faced a third-and-five situation at their own 25-yard line. Herbert dropped back to pass, but his throw was batted back by Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. Herbert reacted quickly and caught the ball before it hit the ground. He then ran for 10 yards and moved the chains for his team.
The play was reminiscent of Marcus Mariota’s touchdown catch in the 2017 playoffs, when he threw a pass that was deflected by a defender and then caught it in the end zone. Herbert’s catch was not as dramatic, but it still showed his athleticism and awareness.
Herbert plays through a broken finger
What made Herbert’s catch even more impressive was that he did it with a broken finger on his left hand. Herbert suffered the injury in the first quarter, when he hit his hand on a helmet while throwing a pass. He had to leave the game briefly and get his finger taped up.
Despite the injury, Herbert did not miss much time and continued to play at a high level. He finished the game with 24 completions on 32 attempts for 281 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 18 yards and another score.
Herbert said after the game that he did not let the pain affect him and that he was confident in his ability to lead his team.
“I just tried to block it out and focus on the next play,” Herbert said. “I have a lot of trust in our guys and our coaches, and I knew we could get it done.”
Herbert leads fourth-quarter comeback
Herbert’s catch was not the only highlight of his night. He also orchestrated a fourth-quarter comeback that sealed the win for the Chargers.
The Chargers trailed 24-21 with less than five minutes left in the game, when they got the ball at their own 20-yard line. Herbert calmly drove them down the field, completing six passes for 75 yards, including a 29-yard strike to Keenan Allen on third-and-10. He capped off the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, giving the Chargers a 28-24 lead with 1:53 remaining.
The Cowboys had one last chance to win the game, but their drive stalled at midfield after Herbert’s counterpart Dak Prescott threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-11.
Herbert said he was proud of how his team fought back and overcame adversity.
“It was a great team win,” Herbert said. “We faced some challenges, but we never gave up. We made some big plays when we needed to, and we came out on top.”
