The New England Patriots now must prepare to face one certified gem for the first time.
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert jointly holds two NFL records heading into his team's matchup with the Patriots in Week 13, according to a league press release. The numbers prove Herbert, whom the Chargers selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, is the real deal, and the Patriots will have to account for his obvious talent in their planning for Sunday's tilt.
Herbert has racked up 3,015 passing yards since becoming the Chargers' starting QB in Week 2. He joins Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes, who passed for 3,185 yards in 2017 and 2018, as the only NFL signal-callers to pass for 3,000-plus yards in the first 10 games of their NFL careers.
Herbert passed for 316 yards in Los Angeles' Week 12 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The game marked the sixth time in his young career he has passed for at least 300 yards, tying Andrew Luck's NFL rookie record for most games with 300-plus passing yards.
The Patriots will boost their chances of winning in Week 13 if they can prevent Herbert from owning the record he shares with Luck outright, as the Chargers are 0-4 in games in which their rookie star fails to reach 300 passing yards.
