The Justin Herbert-Quentin Johnston combination is becoming a potent one early in the NFL season. The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback, playing on a right high ankle sprain, found the wide receiver again on Sunday in their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Herbert threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Johnson for a touchdown in the first quarter of the game.
The touchdown pass gave the Chargers a 7-0 late in the quarter. Herbert has thrown four touchdown passes so far this season, with three going to Johnston, who is in his second season with the Chargers. Johnston has already established a career-high in touchdowns, he had two in 2023.
Herbert and the Chargers got off to a slow start on offense Sunday, but they found their footing in time to produce the first points of the game. Herbert found wide receiver Quentin Johnston for a 27-yard touchdown to cap the Chargers’ third possession of the afternoon. The extra point made it 7-0 over the Steelers with just under three minutes to play in the first half.
The Chargers did not pick up a first down on their first two drives and Herbert, who was questionable with an ankle injury, took a couple of big hits, but he looked good delivering the scoring pass and a 13-yarder to Ladd McConkey earlier in the drive.
Johnston now has three touchdown catches in the last two games. That’s one more than he managed over his entire rookie season in 2023.
The Chargers are 2-0, though, and could make some noise if they keep building momentum. The Athletic's playoff projections give L.A. a 66 percent chance to make the postseason, tied for the eighth best in the league.
Johnston’s Emergence
Johnston’s touchdown was set up by a 13 yard pass to Ladd McConkey and a 13 yard run by JK Dobbins off the left side after the Chargers got the ball on their own 41 yard line. On a second and 9 from the the Steelers 27 yard line, Herbert took a shotgun snap and looked towards the flat. Pittsburgh’s cornerback drove on the shallow route underneath, leaving Johnston open down the sideline. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was late to rotate over and Johnston made the easy catch and outran Fitzpatrick to the end zone.
A Key Weapon
It’s Johnston’s third touchdown of the season as he’s developed into a much better downfield threat for the Chargers. Last week, he beat Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn one-on-one for his first touchdown of the game. It’s a huge emergence for Los Angeles, who needs a bona fide no. 1 option in the receiving game to get Justin Herbert and the offense going.
A high ankle sprain doesn't seem to be affecting Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in Sunday's road game vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On L.A.'s third drive, Herbert threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to second-year wide receiver Quentin Johnston with 2:46 left in the first quarter, giving the Chargers a 7-0 lead.
Herbert injured his ankle in a 26-3 Week 2 win over the Carolina Panthers. He missed practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday, but L.A. felt he was healthy enough to play after he looked solid in warmups.
Herbert hasn't produced astounding numbers through his first two games under new head coach Jim Harbaugh. He has completed 67.4 percent of his passes for three touchdowns and one interception and posted an above-average 58.1 QBR.
A Key Player
After scoring two touchdowns against the Panthers, Johnston opened the scoring for Los Angeles in Week 3 versus Pittsburgh, giving the Chargers a 7-0 lead.
It is clear that the Justin Herbert and Quentin Johnston connection is going to be a key factor in the Chargers success this season. Johnston’s ability to create separation and make big plays will be crucial for the Chargers offense.
This season, the Chargers appear to be heading in the right direction. The new head coach Jim Harbaugh has brought a sense of urgency and the team is playing with a lot of confidence. With Herbert at the helm and Johnston emerging as a dangerous weapon, the Chargers could be a real threat in the AFC West.
