Justin Herbert is the Chargers MVP. But can he

Jim Harbaugh listed descriptions of his gamers as he appeared back on the injury-filled route to the postseason the Chargers took to going through the New England Patriots in the AFC wild-card spherical on Sunday.

Harbaugh, heading into his second postseason as Chargers head coach, coined his workforce as gladiators, warriors and opponents — grappling the consideration off the reporter’s query about what he’d realized from the regular-season strife and onto his roster.

“They’re mighty men,” Harbaugh said Wednesday afternoon.

Harbaugh continued: “It just reconfirms everything that I’ve always thought and want for our team is: ‘Competitors welcome.’ Competitors and playmakers, and we’ve got them. … That bodes really well for our team.”

There’s no doubt who the mightiest of the bunch could also be for the Chargers (11-6) in 2025.

Justin Herbert’s 16-game stretch — enjoying the closing 5 of which with a fractured left hand before sitting out last week — has turned heads with his 3,727 passing yards and 26 passing touchdowns despite enjoying behind a fractured offensive line because of accidents to beginning tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.

“He’s had a tremendous season — very MVP caliber in every way,” Harbaugh said. “He’s either leading us to victory — willing us to victory. He’s doing anything and everything he can for this team, and does it at the level only reserved for the very best in the game to do.”

Herbert has lined up behind the most offensive line combos in the NFL this season (25), while the Chargers are tied for the second-most sacks allowed per sport (3.5) across the common season.

Hit after hit — for which he’s taken the most in the NFL — Herbert rose to his ft. The 27-year-old will strive to keep away from another hit, in the type of defeat, on Sunday while still in search for his first-career playoff victory.

It’s been almost a full 12 months since last 12 months’s wild-card defeat to the Houston Texans when Herbert turned in arguably the efficiency of his profession, including a career-high 4 interceptions as the Chargers fell 32-12.

“A lot of teams aren’t playing this week,” said Herbert who took snaps behind middle during the midweek for the first time since fracturing his hand during Week 13. “So for us to be able to have a chance, it’s all we can ask for.”

The Patriots (14-3) have their own signal-caller who has created traction across the league for his sophomore-season enchancment. Drake Maye has tossed 4,394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns and just eight interceptions, a marked development from a season in the past where the North Carolina alumnus struggled as the Patriots completed with a 4-13 file general.

In got here Mike Vrabel for former New England coach Jerod Mayo, and the odds shifted in the Patriots’ and Maye’s favor. Herbert said the Patriots are “hardly ever out of position,” including that Maye’s week-by-week statistics are one thing that has led the Chargers quarterback to construct respect for his foe.

“It’s a sign of players that play by the rules and listen to great coaches,” Herbert said. “[The Patriots] play together and they communicate really well and they’re a really good defense.”

On the availability entrance, operating back Omarion Hampton (ankle) didn’t follow Wednesday and labored off to the facet with a coach during the media-watching period.

Harbaugh said that his rookie operating back — who missed half of the season because of a left ankle fracture suffered in Week 5 — was “doing everything he can to get back in there” forward of Sunday’s postseason conflict.