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How do you make Justin Herbert even better? Chargers coaches have a new plan

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How do you make Justin Herbert even better? Chargers coaches have a new plan

As the reimagining of the Chargers continues, one of the ideas of the team’s new regime is to get more from Justin Herbert by asking less from Justin Herbert.

Since his NFL debut in September 2020, the quarterback and his powerful right arm have driven the Chargers offensively.

First-year head coach Jim Harbaugh and his staff are now bent on providing Herbert with a running game that would give the Chargers their most complete offense in years.

“Not everyone needs to function like Peyton Manning did to win football games,” said Andy Bischoff, Harbaugh’s run-game coordinator and tight ends coach. “Can [Herbert] do that? I mean, the guy’s brilliant. … This is a guy with rare intelligence.

“However, in our system of football, do we really need to put him under that much stress on every single down? The answer is ‘no.’ How do you do that? You have a balanced offense that brings out the greatest strengths in everyone.”

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Herbert has had a stellar start to his pro career, setting numerous franchise and league passing records. He was the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year in 2020 and made his first Pro Bowl the next season.

But the Chargers are only 30-32 in his regular-season starts, with Harbaugh already the third head coach under which Herbert has played. Herbert also lost his lone playoff game.

Supplying Herbert with stronger ground support has been one of the resounding and oft-repeated themes since Harbaugh was formally introduced in early February.

“In general, he’s embracing everything we’re doing,” Bischoff said of Herbert. “I think he feels a fresh perspective that’s centered on providing the best offense that he’s played within.”

In Herbert’s four seasons, the Chargers have finished 18th, 21st, 30th and 25th league-wide in rushing yards. The team, quite famously, has struggled in recent years in short-yardage situations.

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Since Harbaugh’s arrival, there has been a stated emphasis on becoming more physical. During his first media session, offensive coordinator Greg Roman marveled at what Herbert might look like when armed with a ground attack.

The Chargers allowed Austin Ekeler, a smaller and more elusive back, to depart in free agency and replaced him with pile-pushing Gus Edwards, a forceful threat general manager Joe Hortiz labeled “a finisher.”

“We want to protect him [Herbert] so that he can be at his best,” Bischoff said. “We want to provide a run game that can give us balance. And we want to be an offense that’s different and unique for him to be able to function at his best.”

Former Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards is set to play an important role in the Chargers offense.

(Perry Knotts / Getty Images)

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Because of salary-cap limitations, the Chargers were unable to invest heavily in free agency. But one of their first landed targets was Will Dissly, a tight end with only 127 receptions in six seasons.

Dissly, however, is recognized as one of the NFL’s premier run blockers at the position. The Chargers guaranteed him $10 million over two years, their largest financial commitment of the offseason.

Having traded Keenan Allen and released Mike Williams, this is a team in significant need of wide receiver help. Yet, the Chargers drafting an offensive lineman with their first pick later this month remains a real possibility.

“This offense and this building is an O-line-centric space,” Bischoff said. “Whatever it was in the past, I don’t know. I didn’t live here. I’ve been here for five weeks, but I can tell you this: This is going to be an O-line-centric building.

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“When it comes to our strength program, it’s built around the O-line. Everybody else fall in line. Some people don’t value offensive linemen; we do. That will be shown in how we approach everything.”

Yes, this promises to be a departure for the Chargers, who, before Herbert’s emergence, were led for 14 years by Philip Rivers, another quarterback known for his ability to sling the football.

During meetings Monday, Bischoff said Roman used the word “epic” to describe the offense the Chargers’ coaches are pursuing. He said Roman even defined the word for the players.

“Why not create something different than ever has been done?” Bischoff said. “As much success as we’ve all had in different places doing different things, none of that really matters. All that matters is right now and creating that here.”

Asked what “epic” might look like on the field, the coach specifically mentioned high point totals and low turnover numbers. He said it’s of little relevance whether the production comes through the air or on the ground.

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Twice, he referenced having players who are “smart, tough, dependable.” He later added a fourth quality: “vicious.”

“You want numbers that have never been seen before,” Bischoff said. “When it looks right, it’s a beautiful thing.”

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Taylor Swift shows up to support Travis Kelce for possible final home game

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Taylor Swift shows up to support Travis Kelce for possible final home game

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Taylor Swift showed up to Arrowhead Stadium Thursday night to watch fiancé Travis Kelce in what could be his final home game with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Swift, wearing a red leather jacket, was shown on the Amazon Prime Video broadcast hugging a friend. 

The pop star has mostly been out of the NFL spotlight after the Chiefs lost the Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles in February and the two announced their engagement.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift kiss after the AFC championship game against the Buffalo Bills in Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)

But it was a special night for Kelce as he mulls his NFL future.

Amazon Prime Video aired an interview between him and Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez before the game began.

“I think I’m still searching for those answers. I think, obviously, the way this one ended with a sour taste in my mouth, I feel motivated, but I got to make the right decision for me,” he told Gonzalez. “I’ve got to hope that, you know, if I do want to come back, the Chiefs are willing to bring me back.

2025 NFL WEEK 17 BUZZ: PACKERS’ JOSH JACOBS CLEARED; RAVENS QB JACKSON DOUBTFUL

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is introduced before a game against the Denver Broncos Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

“So it’s a two-way street on that, but, at the same time, man, I am, at this point in this year, I’m just trying to finish out and give Chiefs Kingdom everything I got and go out there and do it with some of that flair that you said I play with.”

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was asked what it meant that it could be Kelce’s last game at home.

“I don’t know if it is or not. I haven’t talked to him,” Reid said. “I think his numbers and personality and the person, I think, speak for themselves. Phenomenal person (and) great for the community. He’s everything you want from a player representing an organization.”

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The Chiefs were taking on the Denver Broncos in the Week 17 matchup. Kansas City has already been eliminated from playoff contention.

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Lakers’ Austin Reaves will not return vs. Rockets because of calf soreness

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Lakers’ Austin Reaves will not return vs. Rockets because of calf soreness

Lakers guard Austin Reaves will not play in the second half against the Houston Rockets because of left calf soreness, the team announced Thursday.

Reaves missed three games with a left calf strain before coming back to play at Phoenix on Tuesday night. He scored 17 points off the bench in the Lakers’ loss to the Suns.

Against the Rockets at Crypto.com Arena, Reaves started and played 15 minutes in the first half, scoring 12 points on five-for-eight shooting.

With Reaves out, the Lakers struggled in the third quarter, giving up 29 points to trail 92-74 heading into the fourth. The Lakers are trying to avoid losing three consecutive games for the first time this season.

Reaves entered Thursday averaging 27.3 points per game, ranking him 11th in league scoring.

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Lakers coach JJ Redick said earlier this week that Reaves wasn’t on a minutes restriction, but the team would monitor his workload “in real time.”

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NFL’s Christmas games lose major star power as key quarterbacks sidelined with injuries

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NFL’s Christmas games lose major star power as key quarterbacks sidelined with injuries

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On paper, Netflix had great divisional matchups on Christmas Day for Week 17 when the season began.

Of course, the NFL season never goes as planned, and the three matchups scheduled for the holiday are not what anyone had planned.

The reason? Star quarterbacks won’t be playing in each game.

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott walks off the field after the team’s NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)

Christmas Day’s first kickoff will be an NFC East battle between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders, with both teams already eliminated from playoff contention.

And while Dak Prescott and company are looking to finish the season strong, the Commanders shut down Jayden Daniels, their second-year quarterback who led them to the NFC Championship Game in his rookie season just a year ago, after reaggravating his elbow injury.

In fact, the Commanders won’t even see Marcus Mariota, Daniels’ backup who has had to start eight games this season, as he’s dealing with an injury as well. It will be veteran Josh Johnson making the start in Landover, Maryland, on Christmas Day for a 4-11 Commanders squad that hoped to at least make the playoffs after a fantastic finish in 2024.

CHIEFS ANNOUNCE RELOCATION TO KANSAS BY THE 2031 NFL SEASON WITH NEW DOME STADIUM

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“When you do circle those matchups, that’s exactly what you’re thinking: This is going to be cool. How it’s all laid out — division games right here at the end between two games of Philadelphia with a Dallas game in between,” Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said.

“Playing these division games, they still mean a lot.”

Unfortunately for both squads, it will only be for bragging rights.

Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders looks on from the sidelines after leaving the game during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)

In the 4:30 p.m. ET slate, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, a storied NFC North rivalry, the home team in Minneapolis will be without its own second-year signal caller — J.J. McCarthy.

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McCarthy suffered an injury in the win over the New York Giants last week, and it will be Max Brosmer having to start again for Kevin O’Connell’s group.

The Minnesota product’s first career start didn’t work out too well in Seattle, as the Seahawks had their way on defense against Brosmer. Perhaps a home crowd will do him and the Vikings’ offense better, but the Lions at least still have something to play for.

Detroit heads into this game following a tough loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where a game-winning touchdown was called back after Amon-Ra St. Brown was penalized for offensive pass interference, negating Jared Goff flying into the end zone after a pitch-back from the star receiver.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes chews his mouth guard during warmups before an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)

The Lions need to win their remaining two games, while also needing the Green Bay Packers to lose their last two games to secure the final NFC wild card spot.

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Finally, and perhaps the biggest disappointment for Netflix, is the Kansas City Chiefs not having Patrick Mahomes on the field this holiday season.

Mahomes suffered a torn ACL, which he quickly had surgery to repair, following a loss that knocked them out of playoff contention two weeks ago. The Chiefs were hoping that his backup, Gardner Minshew, could finish out the season, but he tore his ACL last week in a loss to the Tennessee Titans.

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That leaves USF alum Chris Oladokun, who filled in for Minshew last week, starting against Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos — a 12-3 squad who already clinched their playoff berth. Denver will still be playing hard, as they’re competing for the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC, which would ensure home games throughout the playoffs.

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These games were supposed to be potential division/playoff clinching matchups, but the NFL and its fanbase will be hoping these games are not as lopsided as some believe they could turn out to be.

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