The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Chargers QB Justin Herbert's Best Attribute: 'Taking Care Of The Football'

Episode Date: January 9, 2025

The Texans will host the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday for the opening game of NFL Wild Card weekend. The Chargers are coming into Houston with a three-game winning streak, looking to take down the AFC South Champions, while the Texans are 1-2 in their past three games. The last time the two teams met was in 2022, with the Chargers earning a 34-24 win. Both franchises have undergone major personnel changes, and this will be Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud's first meeting against Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has brought the Chargers back to the playoffs in his first year with the team following a national championship victory with the Michigan Wolverines. "The culture that Jim Harbaugh has established has brought life to this fan base," Chris Hayre, sports anchor and reporter for KCAL News in Los Angeles, said. Herbert has performed well under a new offense with different weapons, recording 23 touchdowns and only three interceptions so far this season. However, if the Chargers want to advance to the divisional round over Houston, the key to the game will be the pass rush against a struggling Texans offensive line. "Can the Chargers get after Stroud?"

We're going to spend a few minutes with Chris Hayre, who is a sports anchor and reporter for K-Cal-9 in Los Angeles. He also hosts a weekly Chargers podcast. And unfortunately, we're going to probably spend a little bit of time talking about life's events as compared to the Chargers-Texins game with Chris. Chris, it's Matt. Thank you for joining us. First of all, and again, I hate to paint with a broad brush on this, but you have been working with a TV station and a group there that have been doing nonstop coverage of this. how has it been for your colleagues? How has it been as a citizen of Southern California with all the fires?

And please tell us what areas are safe, what are not, and what is your current situation if you don't mind? Well, Matt, I appreciate you having me on. It's, you know, I think the best word is just surreal. It's just the surreal scene out here. I can't say enough about not only my colleagues, but everybody out here just in the field and reporting. And people don't know if they have homes.

I mean, the Pacific Palisades in Malibu is destroyed. Altadena, parts of Pasadena, destroyed. There was a fire in the Hollywood Hills last night. I mean, it's pretty devastating. I've lived out here for 18 years. I've never seen anything like it. And, you know, you have wildfires all the time out here in California. But this one, it's just, it's a different beast right now.

There are, you know, I, me and my family are safe. We live about 20 to 25 miles from the out of the Dina fire, and you can just see the cloud of smoke in the sky right now, and it's just amazing. You're 20 miles away, and, you know, you go to that scene. It looks, frankly, like a war scene, a war zone. It's just, it's devastating. And, you know, our hearts are with everybody that's affected right now. Pardon my ignorance on this, but I'm assuming that people that live in those areas, and this area we're speaking of is growing by the. today, people are grabbing what they can, can't be much, getting in their cars and getting out.

I mean, how are roads, how are people able to circumvent leaving neighborhoods that are, you know, on the precipice of these fires destroying their homes? Well, you know, I think fortunately a lot of people did get out when they were supposed to get out. When the evacuation warnings came, I do think people got out. But you're right. I mean, it's, you know, like the Hollywood Hills, just imagine trying to get out of there last night. the gridlock on the road because there's not many ways in and out. So the roads obviously were gridlock last night.

And, you know, it's just hope that this thing gets contained. And, you know, I know that the winds have let up a little bit. And the hope is that we get some good news up the next couple of days. And again, I just, you know, I was being this week, just so excited to talk football. and obviously we're going to talk football here in a minute and get ready for this wild card game. But I'll tell you this last couple of days puts a lot in perspective for people. Last question about this. Is Metro Los Angeles of ultimate concern?

And I know, again, this has been mostly to the coast, but it's going a little bit more in the inland, some of the valley areas, and obviously you mentioned Pasadena. I heard Chavez Ravine was in conversation a couple days back. How about the intercity downtown Dodgers Stadium? you know, Beverly Hills, are those areas of ultimate concern for the folks there? You know what? It's a good question, and I'll be honest, I don't even know. As of this morning, I saw a little bit of our coverage about an hour and a half ago, and I haven't heard anything about downtown.

You know, the Palisades in Malibu, if, you know, if you've ever been to Los Angeles, it's very close to Santa Monica. There's some just wild images of the fire behind the Santa Monica pier that I saw this morning. online. Somebody had a picture from yesterday. It's just like, it's just, I don't know. There's really no words for it. But I don't know what the status is of downtown L.A.

at this point, Chavez-Ravine, as you mentioned. And I do know that there's a Monday night football game that's supposed to be played at the soapy stadium. And, you know, the contingency plan is Arizona for that. And, you know, I think it's, they're fortunate that the game's Monday and not, let's say, Saturday like the Texans and Chargers, because I don't know if you could play. that game.

Chris Hayre, with K-Cal Sports in Los Angeles, joining us here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. So let's get to some football now. You cover the Chargers. You have a podcast, but you have to balance it with the other professional sports teams.

Have the Chargers been able to make inroads with Southern California sports fans? Because it feels like to me, and maybe it's a generic narrative that Charger games are largely full, but they're full of fans from other cities. You know, it's a good

question. I do think that they have made tremendous endroids since they moved here in 2017 to present day. And the thing is, you can say the same exact thing about the Rams that people do about the Chargers nationally.

When there's a San Francisco 49ers Rams game where, you know, a Vikings Rams game, there's going to be a ton of opposing fans. It's just, I think that's part of Los Angeles, is that, hey, you know, When the schedule comes out in April or May, you circle LA as a potential road game for you and your buddies or you and your family.

But I'll say this, since Jim Harbaugh was announced as head coach of the Chargers on February 1st of last year, the last 11 months I've seen probably the biggest shift in terms of fans, buy-in. You have a franchise quarterback and you have a head coach coming off a national championship. a team that won five games last year that won 11 this year. And the culture that Jim Harbaugh has established has really, I think, brought some life to this fan base. And, you know, going back to fans in San Diego, you know, Jim Harbaugh was a San Diego charger. So I think you're seeing a lot of fans from San Diego and Los Angeles come together. The fan base is energized.

And, you know, I worked at the Lakers for nine years. So I always tell people that's like the Dodgers and Lakers, they're the show in L.A. But everybody else can have a piece of pie if you win. And right now I think the Chargers have that upwards trajectory of potentially having some sustained success over the next few years with Herbert and Harbaugh in tow now. Herbert's numbers first, I want to say, the quarter pole this season were probably down from years past. It was that Harbaugh trying to establish a running game, a little more of a balance. And overall, from start of the season to where Justin comes into today's or Saturday's game, where has his development been as a quarterback with hardball running things?

Well, it's been remarkable. And you're right. I think at the beginning of the year, it was a product of, hey, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Austin, X-Bler out the door. I have a bunch of new weapons, a brand-new offense. And then, by the way, in week two, he had a terrible high- ankle sprain that took him out of that game in Pittsburgh in the second half. basically he was playing on one, one leg against Kansas City the following week before the bye week. So the one thing is I'm sure you guys have discussed this week that Justin's just so good at is taking care of the football.

He, you know, I think he only had three interceptions this year. And he's just, he's built chemistry with these receivers who, you know, I don't think a lot of people had high hopes for this receiving corps coming into the year. And then you see what Rookie Lab McCawkey has done and just the chemistry that Justin is the, develop with him. Quentin Johnson, who a lot of people were down on after his rookie year, coming off a 13 catch, 186-yard performance against the Raiders. You know, Joshua Palmer, who's heard at the moment, but Darius Davis, the emergence of J.K. Dobbins, who's, you know, comeback player of the year nominee for sure. So there's just a lot of different weapons that Justin has seemed to find week in a week

out. You don't know whose week it's going to be. It could be a Lab McConkey week, could be a Quentin Johnson week, could be a Wolf Disley week. I mean, it's just been remarkable how Justin has been able to trust and spread the ball around to a bunch of different guys. At the beginning of the year, you weren't sure who it was going to be. And now I just think the comfortability with his receivers and just having that full year in Greg Rovin's offense has really done wonders for him. All right. Lastly, if I'll let you run. Actually, I'll probably get two things in.

the Texan's offensive line has been adventuresson would be maybe the most polite way of saying things tell me about Joey Bosa this year as compared to the last couple of years Denzel Perryman obviously is starting to practice again is there enough pass rush from the Charger Front 7

that's going to cause the Texan some issues on Saturday? I think that's the key of the game that is the how much pressure can the Chargers I look at Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Tuli, Tui Poloto,

and Bud Dupree. Those are four starting caliber edge rushers that the Chargers keep fresh throughout the course of a four-quarter game. You mentioned Denzel Paraman.

They certainly have missed Denzel, and you guys know him as well as anybody, just his hard-hitting nature, his ability to stop the run, but it's really going to come down to can Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack be superstars

on Saturday? And Tuli Tui-Polotu second year guy from USC who's just been a fantastic player since he stepped on to the football field with the Chargers. And then that veteran presence of Bud Dupree, can the charges get after Stroud

make him uncomfortable against that offensive line? And, you know, I know that Joey has had some injuries throughout the last several years, but I do think that he's come on, especially the back half of the year, and, you know, Khalil has had some pretty dominant games. But I think just keeping those guys fresh, that's been kind of their go-to.

And then Darwin James up front, you know, Durwin James has five-saxes here, him playing close to the line of scrimmage. That's presented problems for teams throughout the season. All right. Lastly, and we always don't mean to put you on the spot when it comes to predictions, but the folks in Vegas have the charges about a lot. a field goal favorite. Rex Ryan thinks it won't not even count this is a buy week for the Chargers. Clearly I don't believe the Chargers think that.

But from what you have seen and look, one of my best friends in my life is a lifelong charger fan and he says, Matt, they always invent ways to lose games when you think they're ahead for 90% of them. So with all that being said, and again, it's a new regime and obviously

Harbaugh has really changed the feeling of what it is to be a Los Angeles Charger fan and a team that follows him, which you're gut feeling right now, not holding you to it completely, but your gut about what's going to happen on Saturday and how things will play out. Well, let me just say, nobody thinks what Rex Ryan thinks here. That's just not the case.

Texas are a very good football team. I think that the charges want to the five-seat because, A, you don't want to go to Baltimore in January. It's freezing, you know, and B, you know, if you're the five-seat, who knows if you get a divisional playoff game, depending on how it shakes out in the second. second round. I think that the Chargers right now are playing their best football of this season, right? The second half that Denver game on Thursday night to present day is when they've really hit their stride. All three phases have played really, really well. This is not going to be

an easy game by any stretch for the Chargers. I think if they can kind of withstand the momentum, the early momentum with the crowd and maybe get off to a fast start, I think the Chargers have a good chance to win this game. So I would give the slight edge to the Chargers. but I do think that sometimes we look at one game of the Houston, Texas season, on Christmas Day, and think that that's what happened all year, and this is not the case. You know, 31 to 2 didn't happen at the beginning of the year where you almost beat the Lions, and he had some dominant games against other teams. So I give the slightest of the charges just because of the coach and the quarterback.

I know D'Amico and C.J. Stroud are some of the brightest young stars in the coaching ranks in the quarterbacks, but I think Justin right now, the way he's playing, and just having Jim Harbaugh, going back to the scene where he won his national championship exactly a year ago, just the slightest of edges to the Chargers. All right, we'll leave it at that. Chris, our thoughts are with you, your viewers,

entire Southern California. We, as I was telling the audience last hour, there's no part of the country that doesn't have to go through something, whether it's hurricanes or blizzards or earthquakes or mudslides or tornadoes. We just can't, we have these elements. It's sometimes getting the way of our normal lives. And so please be safe to you and your family in the citizens of Southern California. Thank you for your analysis, and we really appreciate your time on the show today.

Hey, man, anytime. We appreciate you guys. We'll get on a plane here soon, so we'll see you in a bit. Sounds good. Chris Hayre, joining us from K-Cal Sports in Los Angeles on the Chargers Beach.