INGLEWOOD — There were only 25 seconds remaining in the first half when Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert dropped to pass. The Chargers had the ball on their own 23-yard line and Coach Jim Harbaugh wasn’t content with a 13-7 lead at halftime. Harbaugh wanted more.
The Tennessee Titans pressured Herbert and defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons grabbed the quarterback’s right arm as he attempted to pass to tight end Hayden Hurst. The ball never reached the proper altitude as Herbert delivered a sort of side-armed pitch that struck the ground.
Titans cornerback Roger McCready pounced on the loose ball and ran 20 yards to the end zone for an apparent touchdown and a tie score, 13-13, with the extra point attempt upcoming. Harbaugh motioned from the sideline that Herbert was attempting to pass and it should be ruled an incompletion.
In a moment, the NFL replay official agreed to take a look.
After another moment or two or three, the call was reserved.
It was ruled a forward pass attempt, an incomplete pass attempt.
“The on-field officials ruled that it was a fumble recovered by the defense and in for a touchdown,” NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth told a pool reporter after the game. “All scoring plays are under the jurisdiction of the replay booth and New York. We stopped the game as there was a significant question as to whether his (Herbert’s) hand was coming forward with the ball. Once we went into review, all we need (to see) is the hand moving forward with control of the ball and so we ended up overturning it to an incomplete pass.”
Harbaugh praised Herbert’s overall strength in such a circumstance, a play that easily could have turned the game in the Titans’ favor in the closing seconds of the half.
“It appeared like it was a sack fumble,” Harbaugh said. “The strength it took to hold onto the ball while getting hit, you know, there’s probably nobody else on the planet that could have done that. And then he was able to keep it in his hand and finish the throwing motion. I don’t know what that is. Just wrist?
“The ball went 10 or 15 yards.”
In the end, it was one of only four incompletions on 18 attempts for Herbert.
BOSA MOVES UP
Outside linebacker Joey Bosa’s sack of Titans quarterback Will Levis in the third quarter was the 70th of his NFL career, moving him into second place on the Chargers’ all-time list, ahead of Shaun Phillips, who had 69.5 from 2004 to ‘12, and behind Leslie O’Neal, who had 105.5 between 1986 and ‘95.
Bosa has been on a snap-count limit the past two games after he injured his hip on the first play of the Chargers’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3 and sat out the next three games. He was credited with one of the Chargers’ seven sacks of Levis during their 27-17 victory over the Titans.
“I was trying to get off the ball and take advantage of my opportunities when the passes came,” Bosa said of his mindset against the Titans. “I took a nice inside move and, yeah, just happy to get home. I think I’ve had some rough years and I do wish that number (70 sacks) was a bit higher. (But) it’s a great milestone.”