With Justin Herbert out for season, Easton Stick to lead Chargers

Justin Herbert wears a hoodie on the sidelines.

Staff Writer

Dec. 12, 2023 Updated 4:57 PM PT

His most recent start came against the Eagles.

The Eastern Washington Eagles.

In January 2019.

On Thursday night, Easton Stick will face the Las Vegas Raiders in his first NFL start, replacing Justin Herbert after the Chargers lost their franchise quarterback for the remainder of the season because of broken finger.

“Ultimately, it’s football,” Stick said Tuesday. “Look, I understand North Dakota State is not the National Football League, but I’m used to winning. I only know one way. This is a production business, and I understand that.”

The Chargers drafted Stick in the fifth round in 2019, after he won 49 games as a starter and four national titles for the Bison.

He was primarily the team’s third quarterback until being promoted to backup this year.

Before taking over late in the second quarter Sunday against Denver following Herbert’s injury, Stick had played only two regular-season snaps.

“No nerves,” he said. “Maybe on Thursday. It’s kind of standard for everybody before you go out there.”

Chargers quarterback Easton Stick is chased by Broncos linebacker Baron Browning

Herbert underwent surgery on his broken right index finger Tuesday. He was put on injured reserve, meaning he’ll sit out the last four games of the regular season.

He finished with 3,134 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions as the Chargers went an underwhelming 5-8, slipping to 12th in the AFC and edging toward elimination from playoff contention.

Herbert’s injury is just the latest blow in what has turned into a frustrating year for the franchise. His loss — teammate Derwin James Jr. called Herbert the Chargers’ “heartbeat” — underscores a lost season.

Stick will become just the fourth player — joining Herbert, Philip Rivers and Tyrod Taylor — to start at quarterback for the Chargers since the beginning of the 2006 season.

“Obviously, this isn’t how I envisioned it,” Stick said. “When they selected me five years ago, this is what you want as a kid — an opportunity to go play. I’m excited for that.”

After replacing Herbert, Stick went 13 of 24 for 179 yards. He completed a 57-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Quentin Johnston, setting up the Chargers’ only score in a 24-7 loss.

But Stick also fumbled twice and failed to convert a third down on a day when the Chargers finished one of 18 on third and fourth down. He was sacked two times as the Broncos — with the lead — were able to unleash pressure.

“I’m just going to go out there and play,” Stick said. “There’s going to be good and there’s going to be bad. … That’s just part of it. It’s football. It’s not perfect. I’m just going to go out there and do my best.”

Chargers coach Brandon Staley hailed Stick for his intelligence and field vision. He also noted Stick’s athletic ability, something he has displayed in the preseason and during training-camp practices.

“He has good instincts,” Staley said. “His legs really give him a chance to be a playmaker out there. The NFL, it’s crowded. You need to be able to use your feet to move. He has real athleticism for the position.

“... When you have mobility and athleticism, you can create things off schedule. That’s what you have to be able to do. I think Easton will be able to give us that element.”

Against Denver, Stick seemed to settle in after a shaky start when he entered just before halftime. He led the Chargers on an 11-play drive and other that covered 91 yards.

He also produced the offense’s three biggest plays: the 57-yard throw to Johnston and a pair of 22-yard connections, one to Johnston and another to Keenan Allen.

“It was good to move the football,” Stick said. “Obviously, explosive plays are a huge part of that, if you can get them. It makes is a lot easier.”

The Raiders will start rookie Aidan O’Connell, who began the season as one of their backups to Jimmy Garoppolo. A fourth-round pick, O’Connell will be making his seventh start.

His debut came against the Chargers on Oct. 1 at SoFi Stadium in a game the Chargers won 24-17. Khalil Mack sacked O’Connell that day six times as the Chargers opened a 24-7 halftime lead before hanging on to win.

Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack extends his arms as he sacks Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell.

With Stick making his debut as a starter, Las Vegas no doubt will attempt to pressure him into mistakes. Maxx Crosby leads the Raiders with 13.5 sacks. He sacked Herbert twice back in October.

“There’s no way around it — reps are the way you get better, live reps,” Stick said. “That was huge to get some of those under my belt. We’re playing a really good defense. They haven’t let up very many points this year, especially lately.”

The Raiders are coming off a 3-0 loss Sunday to Minnesota. The Vikings played a pair of backup quarterbacks — Joshua Dobbs and Nick Mullens — in place of the injured Kirk Cousins.

Now, the Raiders will get Easton Stick in his first NFL start and nearly five years after his last college start.

“People believe in him because of how hard he works,” Staley said of Stick. “Since I’ve been here, him and Justin set a very high bar for everybody else, in terms of how to work, how to compete.

“I think that he has gotten better every single year, and I think that his teammates have seen that. He has improved every year as a quarterback. Now, he gets to show what he can do.”

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