Chargers’ Justin Herbert questionable to return vs. Broncos (finger); Easton Stick enters second career game

The 2023 NFL season has been a slog for the Los Angeles Chargers (5-8), and it just went from bad to worse on Sunday.  Quarterback Justin Herbert suffered a finger injury that caused him to leave the game against the Denver Broncos in a neck-and-neck battle to remain in the AFC wild card race. Once the Chargers entered the home halftime locker room, they ruled Herbert out for the remainder of the game. Los Angeles went on to lose 24-7 and fall far down the ladder for AFC wild card contention. After the game, head coach Brandon Staley said Herbert fractured his right index finger, via NFL Media. 

Given the Chargers tumbling behind six teams that are 7-6 in the AFC wild card standings, Herbert may not play again this season. He departed late in the second quarter with the Broncos ahead 7-0. He threw for 96 yards and an interception on 9 of 17 passing. Longtime backup Easton Stick, a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Chargers, replaced Herbert to enter his second career NFL game. Stick entered Sunday with one career pass attempt, a four-yard completion, in a 39-29 win in Week 7 of the 2020 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

He almost gifted Denver a touchdown after appearing to be strip-sacked at the Chargers 17 by Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian. The corner scooped up the loose ball, and it ran it all the way back for a touchdown. However upon replay review, the referees ruled Stick’s arm was going forward and changed the call to an incomplete pass. 

Stick completed his first pass of the game to Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen for three yards. He finished with 179 yards on 13 of 24 passing. On the bright side of the Chargers, rookie first-round pick Quentin Johnson totaled a career-high 91 receiving yards on three catches.