Jim Harbaugh seems to hint who will start at QB if Herbert is ruled out

Levon Satamian

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Jim Harbaugh seems to hint who will start at QB if Herbert is ruled out image

The Los Angeles Chargers will face the Steelers in Pittsburgh in Week 3, and they could be without their franchise quarterback, Justin Herbert, who is dealing with a high-ankle sprain.

Many fans wonder who the starting quarterback would be if Herbert is ruled out. Coach Jim Harbaugh did not reveal who the starter would be, but he did hint at who has the edge between Taylor Heinicke and Easton Stick. 

Harbaugh on the backup quarterback situation:

"I'm not gonna reveal what any of the contingencies are." He added, "I haven't seen anyone get up to speed as quickly as Taylor [Heinicke] has."

 

If Harbaugh's comments were any indicator, get ready to see Heinicke on the field as the QB1 on Sunday if Herbert can't give it a go. Heinicke has been a starter in the past and has shown signs of improvement over the years, whereas Stick has not shown much improvement based on the starts we saw during the preseason. 

Heinicke's best season was in 2021 with the Washington Commanders, when he threw for 3,419 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. In terms of a backup QB, Heinicke is arguably one of the top backups in the league. 

In 2023, Easton Stick was given the opportunity to prove himself as a starting quarterback after Justin Herbert was ruled out for the season. In five appearances, Stick threw for 1,129 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

The Steelers vs. Chargers game is projected to be low-scoring, and running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards should receive heavy workloads. 

Expect many run schemes from OC Greg Roman in Week 3. 

MORE CHARGERS NEWS

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Levon Satamian

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Levon Satamian has been an avid Chargers fan since 2006, when he first began watching football. Living in Southern California, the Chargers games were always televised, and he became a fan while watching Philip Rivers, LaDanian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates on the field. In 2021, he graduated from California State University of Northridge with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. Levon has written for sites such as Dodgers Nation and BoltBeat Fansided, among other well-known sites. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated.