With an off week approaching, Justin Herbert could get two weeks of rest for the price of one game for his ailing ankle if he sat out Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
But even that one-game sacrifice is too high for the hyper-competitive quarterback hoping to end the Chargers’ five-game losing streak to their AFC West rivals.
Herbert is “going to do everything I can to play,” against the Chiefs, he said Wednesday, fighting through a high ankle sprain he suffered on Sept. 15. After aggravating the injury in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Herbert said his right ankle felt better Wednesday than it did at this point last week, when he still started against the Steelers.
“These games all are important to us,” Herbert said Wednesday. “Each game going out there is, ‘Hey, it’s time to go win it.’ And we felt like it was one of those injuries that you can fight through and you can push through.”
Herbert, who left Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium in a walking boot, received an MRI exam on Monday and it showed his right ankle was “progressing,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. Herbert was limited during practice Wednesday, participating in some seven-on-seven periods.
Even the pared-down practice plan was a step forward for Herbert. He did not practice last Wednesday before taking the field Sunday, when he threw for 125 yards and one touchdown on 12-for-18 passing before leaving the game after a third-quarter sack.
“I think those reps are valuable,” Herbert said of the practice opportunities, “just to be out there, even if I’m not taking team reps like that, getting as many reps as I can.”
Herbert missed part of training camp because of a plantar fascia injury that kept him in a boot for two weeks. He said he could have played through it but took a conservative approach because it was the preseason.
With the season in full swing, Herbert wasn’t going to play it safe, even with 13 games after the Chargers are off in Week 5 and a tricky high-ankle sprain that tends to linger for many. .
“Worrying doesn’t help too much,” Herbert said. “I think it’s take it day by day, see how it feels.”
Returning to the El Segundo practice facility has helped as Herbert said he has taken advantage of specialized therapy pools that weren’t available when the team set up a temporary headquarters at a downtown Charlotte, N.C., hotel last week.
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If he does play Sunday, Herbert probably will be behind a patchwork offensive line that was without left tackle Rashawn Slater (pectoral) and right tackle Joe Alt (knee) during practice Wednesday. The starters were both injured against the Steelers. Trey Pipkins III, the starting right guard who was the team’s third tackle option, did not practice because of a foot injury.
Harbaugh declined to speculate about who could step into larger roles on the offensive line if the injuries persist until Sunday, but between backup tackles Foster Sarell, Jamaree Salyer and Alex Leatherwood — a former first-round pick of the Las Vegas Raiders who is on the Chargers’ practice squad — Herbert said he has “complete confidence.”
“They’ve played big football,” Herbert said. “… If they do end up going in there, we’ll keep going.”
Etc.
Outside linebacker Joey Bosa (hip), defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia (neck) and linebacker Junior Colson (hamstring) also did not practice Wednesday. … Receiver Derius Davis (hamstring), cornerback Kristian Fulton (knee), tight end Hayden Hurst (Achilles), receiver Joshua Palmer (elbow/calf) and cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor (fibula) were limited.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
