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Justin Herbert’s Early Super Bowl Hopes Just Received a Crushing Blow at the Worst Possible Time

The New England Patriots are the first team to ever win back-to-back Super Bowls, but they were dealt a crushing blow at the worst possible time. It was revealed that their starting quarterback, Tom Brady, has been suspended for four games due to an NFL investigation into his role in Deflategate.

The Tom Brady is a quarterback for the New England Patriots. Justin Herbert’s Early Super Bowl Hopes Just Received a Crushing Blow at the Worst Possible Time. Read more in detail here: tom brady.

The Los Angeles Chargers had high hopes for standout quarterback Justin Herbert entering his second season. Those who were dubious after the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year led an amazing comeback win against the Washington Football Team in Week 1 may have felt better.

No one is advising the club to give up on its chances of defeating Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West. The Chargers, on the other hand, have just gotten some bad news that may derail Herbert and the offense at the worst possible moment.

Bryan Bulaga, the right tackle for Justin Herbert, will be sidelined for at least three weeks.

OT Bryan Bulaga was put on injured reserve by the #Chargers, and G/T Michael Schofield III was signed to take his spot on the roster.

September 17, 2021 — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet)

When a rookie quarterback has three things, four if you add his health, he has the greatest chance of succeeding. A competent head coach and excellent offensive weapons are often — but not always — the difference between following in Russell Wilson’s footsteps and ending up like Sam Darnold, who was deemed damaged goods by the New York Jets when he was dealt earlier this year.

Do you know what else quarterbacks benefit from having? An offensive line capable of keeping a young athlete on his feet and injury-free.

For the time being, Herbert will have to do without starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga. With a back ailment, the Iowa product and experienced offensive guard will miss the team’s next three games. In a Week 1 win against Washington, he only played 56 percent of the team’s plays before leaving with an injury.

Bulaga isn’t unfamiliar with the injured reserve. In his third year with the Green Bay Packers, he sustained a hip injury in 2012 and has undergone two ACL reconstructions since then. Last year, the Super Bowl 45 winner skipped six games and departed five others early.

The Chargers have not announced who will start at right tackle against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2 as of publishing. Storm Norton, a fifth-year offensive lineman from Toledo, is a candidate for the job.

When Herbert takes on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3, he may be sorely missing Bulaga.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in 2021. Bryan Bulaga, the right tackle for Justin Herbert, will be sidelined for at least three weeks | Rob Carr/Getty Images

Bulaga’s résumé may not scream someone who would be a major offensive loss at first glance. In his first 11 seasons, he was an injury-prone right tackle who never made the Pro Bowl or was named to an All-Pro team.

That is, however, just in terms of statistics. Bulaga is a skilled and effective offensive tackle on the field, even if he isn’t as well-known as San Francisco 49ers star Trent Williams when it comes to name recognition or achievements on the back of the trading card. Above all, he’s a seasoned blocker for an up-and-coming quarterback.

Bulaga will miss favorable matchups against the Cowboys and the Las Vegas Raiders if he misses just three games. Fortunately for Herbert, top pass-rusher DeMarcus Lawrence of the Dallas Cowboys was placed on injured reserve with a foot ailment before to the Week 2 matchup. Despite the Raiders’ inconsistency on defense, veteran defensive end Carl Nassib may be a factor in Week 4.

The first of two regular-season showdowns with Mahomes and the Chiefs is in the midst of that span. In Week 3, the Chargers visit Arrowhead Stadium in quest of their second straight road win against their longtime foes.

An upset in Week 3 would solidify the Chargers as genuine AFC contenders this season. That’s the kind of game when everyone’s hands, and maybe a couple of feet, are on the table. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, Bulaga and all of his limbs would be unavailable that afternoon.

Over the next three weeks, Herbert will have to put the Chargers on his back.

A young quarterback’s life gets to a point where he learns to lead a team regardless of what else is going on on or off the field. Russell Wilson and Joe Flacco, for example, overcome everything from subpar offensive lines to a scarcity of dangerous weapons to keep their teams in the postseason hunt.

Herbert’s time has come to join the club, and he’s well on his way to doing so. In Week 1, he displayed remarkable composure by rallying his team to win by refusing to force deep throws in an attempt to score early. Following an interception in the fourth quarter, he connected with Mike Williams for a 3-yard score after the Chargers recovered a fumble.

Herbert then orchestrated a game-winning drive, in which he moved the ball down the field in a measured and safe manner for almost seven minutes. Washington was never able to reclaim possession of the ball, and the Chargers went to a 1-0 lead.

Bulaga may reclaim his starting position on a 4-0 squad if Herbert can demonstrate the same confidence and intelligence over the next several weeks. It’s a tall order, but the Chargers chose their starting quarterback sixth overall last year for this reason.

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