https://www.ocregister.com/2022/12/16/chargers-justin-herbert-leading-with-arm-legs-as-well-as-his-heart/

Chargers’ Justin Herbert leading with arm, legs as well as his heart

A couple of emotional celebrations during and after Sunday night’s
victory over the Dolphins showed a new side of the normally reserved
quarterback

By Elliott Teaford | eteaford@scng.com | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: December 16, 2022 at 3:33 p.m. | UPDATED: December 16, 2022
at 3:45 p.m.

COSTA MESA — Justin Herbert pierced the calm, cool and collected veil
that always seemed to shield him no matter the down and distance, no
matter the score, no matter the pressure from defenders eager to throw
him off his game, no matter the many questions fired at him from reporters.

Herbert scrambled for a 10-yard gain during a pivotal, late-game drive
during the Chargers’ victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night at
SoFi Stadium. He popped up after sliding safely past the first-down
marker, after converting a third-and-8 play, and pointed toward the end
zone.

First down.

When it was done, and the Chargers had taken a 23-17 victory from the
Dolphins that enhanced their playoff chances, Herbert entered the
victorious locker room and, to the cheers of his teammates and coaches,
he spiked the souvenir football given to him by the “Sunday Night
Football” crew.

Bedlam ensued.

“There was just a lot of excitement in the locker room and everyone was
kind of looking at me to do something, so I felt like that was the right
move,” Herbert said Friday. “In hindsight, I probably wouldn’t have
spiked it, but it was a good move. It was a lot of fun. The guys enjoyed
it.”

Why wouldn’t you do it in hindsight?

“I didn’t want to disrespect the football,” he said, smiling. “It had
the logo on it.”

It was a rare show of emotion and celebration for Herbert, who often
plays things so close to the vest that it’s difficult to know his true
feelings. He is unfailingly polite and friendly with reporters, for
instance, but only rarely reveals much about what he’s thinking about
subjects great and small.

So, it was unusual to see him let down his guard on Sunday.

“One of the main focuses I’ve had is to just have fun,” he said. “On
that third-down conversion, that’s a big moment for us. To be able to
celebrate it and go back with your teammates, that’s what I should have
done. Those are big moments and you have to take advantage of those.”

Herbert said center Corey Linsley laughed when they got back to the
sideline after the drive stalled and Cameron Dicker kicked what proved
to be the clinching 28-yard-field goal with 2:40 remaining. Herbert said
Linsley “was excited for that moment” of emotion from his teammate.

“It’s a long season and for us to be able to stay with it and stay
focused and stay dialed in, it takes a lot of effort,” Herbert said.
“For us to play together and be motivated, you have to have fun. I think
that part of it is huge. To have the guys celebrate together … I think
we’re at our best when we’re able to do that.”

It also could be an indication of Herbert’s rapid growth in only his
third NFL season after a standout career at the University of Oregon. It
could be a sign of his willingness to lead the Chargers – not just by
his ability to make plays with his arm and his legs, but also with his
heart.

Herbert is the NFL’s second-leading passer with 3,706 yards this season,
but there’s more to leadership than statistics. Celebrations such as the
ones Herbert displayed during and after the Chargers’ victory over the
Dolphins, certainly can fire up a team chasing a playoff berth.

It can’t be all business all the time.

Or it shouldn’t be, anyway.

“Speaking for myself, there’s a big impact when your best player is
having fun out there,” Chargers coach Brandon Staley said. “You want
your players to have fun playing the game. There’s so much at stake each
and every game, especially when you play a prime-time game when the
whole world is watching.

“When you play like that, you should be able to celebrate because you’ve
worked so hard to earn it. So, I want all of our players to play like
that, to compete like that. For him to do that, speaking for myself, it
makes me all that more confident. If that’s how Justin is feeling, I
want him to feel that.

“He’s a competitor 99.9 percent of the time. That .1 percent, where that
war daddy comes out, that’s special. That’s competition.”

INJURY REPORT

Safety Derwin James Jr. was listed as doubtful to play Sunday against
the Tennessee Titans because of a quadriceps injury that also prevented
him from playing last week against the Dolphins. … Cornerback Bryce
Callahan (groin), defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day (knee/back) and
right tackle Trey Pipkins III (knee) were each listed as questionable to
play.