What the Chargers are saying about the Eagles ahead of their MNF matchup
Justin Herbert's availability, Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley's ability and more were covered in advance of the upcoming game.
On Monday night, the Eagles will face the Los Angeles Chargers with hopes of snapping a two-game losing streak.. The last time the Birds held a three-game losing streak was in early December of 2023, a campaign marked by early success and a late-season collapse.
Fresh off a deflating loss to the NFC-leading Chicago Bears on Black Friday, the Eagles are only three-point favorites against John Harbaugh’s Bolts. The Chargers, who are also 8-4, may be without star quarterback Justin Herbert, who suffered a broken left hand in his team’s 31-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Will fans get deja vu of 2023, when the Eagles collapsed after a Super Bowl appearance the previous year? Or will the team finally get back on track? Here’s what the Chargers are saying about the birds.
‘We know how good their defense is’
Herbert was unable to take snaps under center against the Raiders due to his off-hand injury, significantly impacting the team’s offensive game plan as Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman transitioned to more snaps in pistol and shotgun.
With uncertainty in the air regarding both Herbert’s ability to execute the offense, the former Oregon quarterback believes Harbaugh’s familiarity with Vic Fangio will play a major role in the Chargers’ game planning.
Fangio coached under Harbaugh in previous stops with the San Francisco 49ers and Stanford, and also coached against the Chargers two times a year as head coach of the Broncos from 2019-2021.
“He’s had a ton of success in this league,” Herbert said of Fangio. “Back at his time with the Broncos, we saw him twice a year and we had a lot of respect for him then… The guys that they have on that side of the ball are game-wreckers and you have to be aware of those guys, and at the same time they are really well coached, and it makes for a dangerous combination for a defense.”
Meanwhile, Roman also expressed confidence in wide receiver Ladd McConkey’s ability to break Fangio ’s schemes.
“I was born at night, but not last night,” Roman said. “Vic’s going to have different ways to leverage coverage to where it’s not one-on-one at all times ... But as far as the matchup, I like Ladd against anybody.”
‘I forgot he was dealing with something’
Herbert’s chances of playing all comes down to his next days in practice.
“As long as [the doctors] felt like it’s repaired and fixed, I think it comes down to getting that swelling down and being able to play with it,” Herbert said. “You got to catch a snap, you got to be able to hold on to the ball… it’s just see how it goes this week and doing everything to be out there.”
» READ MORE: If you haven’t been paying attention to the Eagles’ troubles, let’s get you up to speed
Herbert’s teammates seem more confident in his return, describing mixtures of shock and awe in response to how well he has played in practice despite the injury.
“I forgot he was dealing with something the way he’s playing,” wide receiver Quentin Johnston said. “But that’s just the type of guy he is. Very, very tough guy. He was still at practice, throwing very accurate, so he honestly looked like he hasn’t lost his touch. So right now, just getting him through practice and getting him through the week and prepared for Sunday.”
‘Some love to our offensive line’
Herbert has been pressured more than any other quarterback in the NFL this season, and no matter if it’s him or Trey Lance under center, the offense will be focusing on containing the Eagles’ front seven in pass protection.
“Their D-Line, a lot of people say it’s probably the strength of their defense,” Roman said. “And it’s hard to argue with that, but I think they are good at all three levels.”
The Chargers have seen both their starting tackles, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, injured this season — resulting in a carousel throughout their offensive line. Following last week’s benching of left tackle Trevor Penning, Roman believes the offensive line is on the up, with the unit performing admirably against Maxx Crosby and the Raiders. The Eagles will be without Jalen Carter after he had a procedure for his to treat both of his shoulders. That could also work in the Chargers’ favor.
“I want to throw out some love to our offensive line,” Roman said. “I really feel like they did an amazing job last week, not only handling Maxx Crosby, but really just handling the game plan and adjusting accordingly.”
‘Hell of a challenge’
The Chargers are well aware of the Eagles’ offensive line difficulties this year, including the potential absence of All-Pro tackle Lane Johnson. Despite this, star defensive end Khalil Mack knows not to underestimate the Eagles’ pass protection.
“Nameless, faceless objects,” Mack said. “You understand who they are and what they’ve been able to accomplish and the level of football they play at, so it’s going to be a hell of a challenge.”
When asked what problems the tandem of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley pose to the Chargers defense on the ground, Mack was quick to express a similar respect despite the team’s recent struggles to run the ball.
“All the problems,” Mack said regarding Hurts’ ability to run. “You can talk about his strength and his ability to withstand tackles in the pocket; it’s going to be a hell of a challenge, and I am looking forward to it.”
“Saquon one of the best in the league,” Mack said. “At any moment, he could pop a big run, so you gotta be on your P’s and Q’s throughout the whole game, just understanding the intangibles they have, and the offensive line they have accumulated with him in the backfield and Jalen in the backfield. His ability to run the QB runs, just their scheme in general, it’s going to be a challenge for us.”