Philip Rivers is back and looking good. I know his high school team is was watching. How many of the Chargers are watching and what are the vibes like for Phil?? (JT via Twitter)
Rivers is slinging it like it’s 2015. And it’s so fun to watch.
And you can bet the Chargers are paying attention. Derwin James and Keenan Allen both said a few weeks ago that they were fired up for Rivers to return.
And Justin Herbert weighed in Tuesday when I asked him how he felt about the Chargers clinching a playoff spot.
“It’s really cool. I think it’s a sign of all the hard work we put together as a team this year,” Herbert said. “All three phases, we play for each other and I think that’s what’s so special about this team. Mixed emotions watching the game last night.
“Obviously, I was rooting for Phil and everything. At the same time you want to get a playoff spot. It was just really cool to watch him, too,” Herbert added.
Herbert probably speaks for most Chargers fans with those words. While everyone loves Rivers and is rooting for him, the Colts recent slide allowed the Bolts to get into the playoffs on Monday.
Those rooting interests change this week, however, as the Bolts will surely be rooting for the Colts to upset the Jaguars.
As mentioned above, that would help the Chargers potentially clinch the AFC’s top seed.
Either way, you have to marvel at Rivers still looking like a bonafide NFL quarterback at 44 years old.
Chargers would only have one, or at worst two, losses with Joe Alt & Rashawn Slater. (Ethan via Twitter)
And that thought certainly lends some excitement for what the Chargers could look like in 2026 when both players are expected to return at full health.
But it’s a moot point to think about what could have been this season with the pair of elite tackles.
Slater was injured before the season even began so the Chargers have had to adapt without him for awhile.
Alt has missed more than half the season and has been out since Week 9. The Bolts have played more games without him than games where he was in the lineup.
The point we need to focus on here is the resiliency of players and coaches to keep trucking without two of (probably) the Chargers top five offensive players. And Slater and Alt might be Nos. 2 and 3 on that list behind Herbert.
The thought of those two coming back next year is awesome. But Harbaugh’s squad has its eyes set on a deep playoff run, which would be even more rewarding given Alt and Slater’s absence.
