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Justin Herbert's passports fly like rainbows - and sometimes there is something valuable on the other end
Photo:
Alex Gallardo / AP
When quarterbacks attempt deep passes in the NFL, the chances increase.
That a lot of space is gained or that the ball is caught by the opponent.
These throws are called "rainbows" in American football.
Because its trajectory is reminiscent of a rainbow.
And a touchdown might be waiting at the other end.
When new, young quarterbacks come into the NFL, they are mostly denied these throws.
With fast, short passes, they are usually introduced to the higher speed compared to college.
Not so Justin Herbert from the Los Angeles Chargers.
The 22-year-old quarterback is one of the best rookies in years.
Above all, it is these spectacular long throws over half the field that Herbert has mastered almost perfectly.
Herbert throws them in practically every game and even makes reporters cheer.
"It's just a lot of fun to throw a 70-yard pass," said Herbert after the first win over Jacksonville, "especially if someone catches it, of course."
The birth of the hero from the other's tragedy
Herbert started the season as a replacement.
His hour came after a freak accident, which is probably unique in the history of the NFL.
The Chargers team doctor gave regular playmaker Tyrod Taylor an analgesic injection in the chest before the second game of the season against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Taylor's lungs were accidentally punctured.
The veteran had to go to the hospital, the rookie to the field.
There Herbert forced the reigning Super Bowl winner into extra time, only then did the Chargers have to admit defeat.
The birth of the hero from the other's tragedy: For Taylor it was the second time that a rookie stood in for him due to an injury and played so well that Taylor did not return to his position.
He experienced the same with Baker Mayfield in Cleveland.
Now he has to look for a new club again.
For Herbert, however, things went up unexpectedly quickly.
To date, he has thrown 2,146 passing yards and scored 17 touchdowns.
In addition, he ran into the end zone twice and threw only five interceptions.
His passer rating (104.7) is above that of the legends Ben Roethlisberger (101.8) or Tom Brady (96.2).
"The biggest mistake of the draft"
Few believed him to make such a career leap.
Opinions about the then quarterback for the Oregon Ducks were mixed during the April draft.
The actual college stars on the position were Joe Burrow (LSU) and Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), who were selected by the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins, respectively.
Albert Breer, football analyst at "Sports Illustrated", mocked Herbert's "Jekyll-and-Hyde nature", who vacillated "sometimes from quarter to quarter" between top performance and lousy decisions.
Former linebacker Emmanuel Acho warned ESPN that Herbert "could potentially be one of the draft's biggest mistakes".
Nevertheless, the Chargers moved Herbert in sixth place.
On Sunday evening (10:05 p.m., Stream DAZN) the Chargers will compete in Miami.
Against Tua Tagovailoa, who has had a lot harder time transitioning to the NFL.
Meanwhile, Herbert collected six "Rookie of the Week" awards.
Six losses from seven games
Still, the Chargers have lost six so far
her seven games with Herbert as playmaker.
Even if only with one touchdown difference.
So also against the Las Vegas Raiders last weekend, when only the sixth perspective of slow motion prevented a victory.
Tight end Donald Parham had not caught a pass from Herbert in the end zone when the clock was running out.
The referees didn't give the touchdown and the Chargers lost again at the last moment.
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Justin Herbert could shape an era at the Los Angeles Chargers
Photo: Peter Joneleit / AP
A playoff participation is a long way off due to the defeats.
The Chargers are simply not good enough to win games right now.
This is also due to the large number of injuries in the team.
That they stayed on stage in the previous games until the last act of the drama is mainly due to Herbert.
NFL podcaster and analyst Marc Sessler predicts a great future for the young quarterback: "As a Chargers fan, defeats are painful, but at the same time we see a quarterback who will change the future of this organization and the NFL. Every time they do When you have the ball, you have the feeling that anything can happen. "
And Sessler's colleague Dan Hanzus added: "When they moved to Los Angeles, we wondered who they wanted to build this team around to inspire a new audience."
Herbert is the answer.
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