Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor was unable to play on Sunday because of an unexpected injury he sustained before kickoff, and it sounds like it was a somewhat frightening one.
Taylor had been dealing with cracked ribs heading into the game against the Kansas City Chiefs, but he intended to play. The injury that kept him out occurred when he was receiving a pain-killing injection prior to kickoff. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chargers’ team doctor accidentally punctured Taylor’s lung with the needle.
Taylor had planned to wear a protective flak jacket to protect his ribs, but obviously the punctured lung changed things. The injury is expected to keep him out for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers and potentially beyond. Doctors have recommended that Taylor be held out indefinitely, presumably while the puncture heals.
Rookie Justin Herbert started against the Chiefs in Taylor’s place, and he looked fairly impressive. The former Oregon star completed 22-of-33 passes for 311 yards, a touchdown and an interception. More importantly, he kept the Chargers in the game and forced overtime against the defending Super Bowl champions.
However, it does not sound like there is going to be a quarterback controversy in L.A. As Schefter noted, many NFL coaches believe it is unfair for a starter to lose his job due to an injury. That is especially true in this case, as Taylor’s injury was the result of a mistake from a team doctor.
Lynn had a fairly harsh response this week when asked if Herbert will be the Chargers’ starting QB going forward. All indications are that the job is still Taylor’s when he’s cleared.
