Tyrod Taylor was surprisingly unable to start Sunday’s game for the Los Angeles Chargers against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a chest injury, and we are learning more about what actually happened.
Taylor battled a rib injury during the week but had every intention of playing, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Media. However, he experienced complications when he received an injection prior to Sunday’s game that was supposed to help alleviate the pain. That led to Taylor not being able to suit up.
Tyrod Taylor was planning to wear a flak jacket to protect himself. He popped up on the injury report Friday, but since it was no doubt he was playing, he was removed from the final report. https://t.co/4qicDAFAL6
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 21, 2020
The unusual situation forced Justin Herbert to make the first start of his career, and the rookie handled it quite well. He completed 22-of-33 passes for 311 yards, a touchdown and an interception. More importantly, he kept the Chargers in the game against one of the best teams in the AFC, though they eventually fell in overtime.
It sounds like Taylor has a decent chance to be cleared for Week 3, but Herbert’s solid performance will complicate things for Anthony Lynn. For now, the Chargers coach appears to be standing behind Taylor.
