Charger Report

Justin Herbert accused of swiping Pro Bowl nod from Trevor Lawrence

Did Trevor Lawrence deserve to make the Pro Bowl over Justin Herbert? It's a new debate, apparently.
Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert took the hard way to a Pro Bowl nod this year. 

Herbert played just a week after surgery and toughed it out through 20-plus offensive line combinations while losing major names like Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. To say he’s earned the nod as his Chargers head for the playoffs is an understatement. 

But some would rather see…Trevor Lawrence?

One outlet has stepped back and suggested that one of the most notable Pro Bowl snubs this year is Herbert making it in over the Jacksonville Jaguars’ signal-caller. 

As such, let’s take a look. 

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Justin Herbert or Trevor Lawrence for Pro Bowl?

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Herbert was one of three AFC quarterbacks selected on the initial Pro Bowl roster: 

  • Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
  • Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
  • Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Herbert, in the mind of FS1’s Nick Wright, is the problem.

“My only real issue is, I think Trevor Lawrence should be there over Justin Herbert," Wright said. "If we show you their years, Trevor’s got him in touchdowns, Herbert has him in rating, Herbert has him slightly in yards…but it certainly matters how you finish.”

Sheer stats aside, context matters when discussing how the two quarterbacks have played down the stretch. 

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Lawrence has dug himself out of a hole with a team that is expected to fail. The Jaguars, believe it or not, have won six in a row to sit at 11-4. If there’s a caveat, though, four of those wins came against these opponents: 

  • Cardinals (3-12)
  • Titans (3-12)
  • Colts (8-7)
  • Jets (3-12)

Kudos go to the Jaguars for taking care of business, of course. But it’s not like anyone is expecting the Chargers to succeed, either. The organizations are essentially brothers when it comes to national reputations. 

Herbert? He had surgery to repair his hand, didn’t miss a game and has rattled off four straight wins. The first was beating up two-win Las Vegas, sure. 

But since? Herbert’s Chargers took down the Eagles on primetime, then marched into Arrowhead on a short week and took down the Chiefs. Then, last week, they went into Dallas and blew out the Cowboys. 

If we’re talking about finishing the season, Herbert’s playing post-surgery ball behind fourth and fifth tackles at a high level and his team is a threat to steal a division, if not the conference's top seed. 

And if we’re talking about which quarterback most would want to start a franchise with, as alluded to in the clip, it’s Herbert the whole way. 

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Chris Roling
CHRIS ROLING

Chris Roling has covered the NFL since 2010 with stints at Bleacher Report, USA TODAY Sports Media Group and others. Raised a Bengals fan in the '90s, the Andy Dalton era was smooth sailing by comparison. He graduated from the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University and remains in Athens.

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