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5 Takeaways: How Justin Herbert's Herculean Effort Led Chargers to Comeback Win in Miami

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The Chargers are 4-2 after a wild 29-27 win over the Dolphins in Miami.

Here are five takeaways from Week 6.

1. More Herbert magic

Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh described it as only he could.

Harbaugh is 61 years old and has seen hundreds of thousands of plays in his football career as a player and coach.

But what Justin Herbert did in the final minute Sunday in Miami will be forever engrained in Harbaugh's brain.

"That play will be burned in my mind until they throw dirt over top of me," Harbaugh said.

"Justin Herbert back to throw, defender wrapped around him, he's able to mighty man it and shake it off and hit Ladd McConkey," Harbaugh added.

Let's set the stage.

The Chargers had overcome a halftime deficit to build a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, only to watch that slip away in the final minute.

Down by a point, the Bolts took over at their own 41-yard line.

Herbert, after somehow avoiding a sack on first down, then performed a magic act on second down.

The quarterback was pressured right away but shrugged off Miami edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, a former first-round pick.

Herbert then had the football IQ to launch a pass to McConkey, who was open on the left side of the field on a crossing route.

"It's a race against time. A throwaway is better than a sack and I was doing my best to just get the ball off," Herbert said. "The play before, they played good coverage, got the ball off thankfully and saved some time.

"Then the next play, went through my reads, had to step up in the pocket and Ladd did a great job just running across the middle making a play and extending the play," Herbert added.

While Herbert was modest in his assessment of the play, his teammates were nearly incredulous.

"Man, he was shaking guys off of him, looking down the field, throwing it," Derwin James said. "We love 10. He put us on his back today."

McConkey said: "Kind of see Justin, left, right, switching the ball. So, for him to even find me and hit me, amazing play by him."

Zion Johnson added: "It was amazing. We know Justin is a dog and he was under duress in that play."

Oronde Gadsden also chimed in: "Biggest play of the game."

McConkey provided some heroics of his own as he stopped on a dime and sidestepped Dolphins safety Dante Trader, Jr.

The wide receiver raced 42 yards inside the red zone as he reached exactly 100 receiving yards on the day.

"When I caught it, I saw a 1-on-1," McConkey said. "I feel like as a receiver, you catch the ball, you got to make the first one miss. Whatever happens after that, happens."

Herbert added: "He's done such a great job of that and I just have to get him the ball in space and that what he does. When we needed him most, he showed up big time."

McConkey, who got a block from Hassan Haskins to break loose, ended up inside the Dolphins red zone.

The unreal play between Herbert and McConkey set the Bolts up at the 17-yard line and eventually led to Cameron Dicker's game-winning, 33-yard field goal.

But this game will be forever remember for the play of Justin Herbert as he led his 14th career fourth-quarter comeback and 18th game-winning drive.

"He's a playmaker, for sure," Odafe Oweh said. "When I played against him, I knew he was a playmaker and gunslinger, can throw the ball, poised in the pocket.

"There's a lot of sacks that get evaded, too, to make the play," Oweh said. "Much respect to him and I'm happy he's my QB."

Harbaugh gave the final word.

"Justin Herbert, like Hercules out there shrugging off that sack … that's just reserved for the best of the best," Harbaugh said.

2. Undermanned Bolts come through

Harbaugh said postgame that he thought both teams were desperate for a win in Week 6.

The Chargers were obviously looking to snap a two-game skid to stay atop the AFC West, while the Dolphins were looking for just their second win of the year.

And while it was the Bolts who prevailed, they had to dig deep into the roster to get the job done.

"On a lot of levels, just feel really great about our team and the way they responded amid a game of rebounding," Harbaugh said. "Get the momentum, then they get the momentum, then we get the momentum back.

"Back and forth it went and they responded as well. I think the things I feel great about, we talk about next man up all the time," Harbaugh added. "I get fired up for the next man up because it's not just another game for them, it's the game."

That mantra was especially true on the offensive line as the Chargers started two tackles — Austin Deculus and Bobby Hart — who arrived in the past six weeks.

In Hart's case, the veteran was added to the practice squad on October 1.

With Joe Alt, Trey Pipkins III and Jamaree Salyer all out with injuries Sunday, Deculus and Hart hung tough to get the job done.

"As long as we have time and downs, we're going to keep fighting," Herbert said. "I thought the offensive line did a great job battling all day and those guys hung in there against a really good front seven."

And it was true at running back, where Kimani Vidal delivered a career game in his first NFL start.

Harbaugh compared the game to a boxing match, noting the teams traded proverbial blows throughout the game.

The game featured six different lead changes, including the final one with only five seconds left in regulation.

"I find so many similarities to boxing and football," Harbaugh said. "Especially in the sense of, the cornerman asks you, 'Can you go, can you keep going?'

"Give me one more round, give me one more round, give me one more series," Harbaugh added. "Give me one more drive."

The Chargers, down Khalil Mack, Omarion Hampton, Da'Shawn Hand and the aforementioned offensive linemen, had just enough on a muggy afternoon in Miami.

3. Oweh makes his mark

It was a wild week for Odafe Oweh.

The new Chargers edge rusher was traded to the Chargers on Tuesday and took a late flight that night to land in Los Angeles.

Just three days later, he was back on a plane for a cross-country flight to Miami.

"It's definitely been wild. I probably have like four pairs of underwear, man," Oweh said with a laugh. "The group, the guys, the staff made it real easy to transition, make me feel like family.

"Calls were smooth, people were communicating and everything," Oweh added. "It was tough, obviously, flipping last second like that and having to get prepared but also it's a whole new city. They made it smooth."

And, after going without a sack in his first five games of the season, Oweh notched one Sunday in the first quarter.

"I feel good that I got it early," Oweh said.

Oweh nearly had another later in the game which perhaps would have been a strip-sack on Tua Tagovailoa.

"I'm still thinking about that one," Oweh said.

But there's no doubt Oweh made his presence felt in his first game in powder blue as he tallied a sack, two quarterback hits and four pressures.

Get an inside look at the postgame celebration from the Bolts 29-27 win over the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium! Presented by SoFi!

4. Gadsden bounces back

Oronde Gadsden showed the mentality of a 10-year veteran after he made a rookie mistake.

The Chargers fifth-round draft pick fumbled after his first catch in Miami late in the first quarter.

The Dolphins then capitalized by scoring a 49-yard rushing touchdown on the ensuing play.

But rather than sulk about it, Gadsden bounced back to finish with seven catches, tied with McConkey for the team lead, to go along with 68 receiving yards on Sunday.

"Just get on to the next play. Fortunately, it was early enough in the game and I was able to shake it off," Gadsden said. "It was the second drive of the game and we had plenty more to go, I would play more plays and chances to impact the game, just kept playing my game and doing my thing.

"Justin, he remained having trust in me and the coaches remained having trust in me and kept throwing me out there," Gadsden added. "Got to do better protecting the ball, obviously, biggest part of the game."

Both Herbert and Harbaugh were impressed with the way Gadsden handled the low moment.

"It's obviously tough, your first NFL season you want it to be perfect," Herbert said. "He's done such a great job picking up the offense.

"Mistakes are going to happen, we've all been there with interceptions, fumbles," Herbert added. "He did a great job responding, reacting and had seven catches after."

Harbaugh added: "Oronde Gadsden, talk about responding. Turns it over on the fumble then comes back and has seven clutch catches after that."

Sunday's game was a homecoming for Gadsden, who was born just outside Miami and whose father, Oronde, played for the Dolphins for six seasons.

"First time coming out here, obviously my dad played here and knowing a lot of guys on the Dolphins staff just from meeting them over the years, it's been pretty cool," Gadsden said. "It's good to get a win in Miami."

Browse through live action photos of the Bolts Week 6 matchup against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium!

5. Hines delivers late spark

The Chargers were reeling a bit after Miami scored the go-ahead touchdown with only 46 seconds left.

No worry. Nyheim Hines to the rescue?

Wait, Nyheim Hines?!

The Chargers running back wad added to the roster in training camp because of his return ability.

Although the flashed in the preseason, Hines was released in early September and hadn't caught back on with another team.

But Hines rejoined the Chargers practice squad this week with both Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris on Injured Reserve, and with returner Derius Davis out with a knee injury.

Hines had three kickoff returns for 97 yards in Week 6, none bigger than his 40-yarder in the final minute to set the Chargers up at their own 41-yard line.

"It started with Nyheim getting a great return," McConkey said.

"We knew we didn't have to get too much because we have Cam Dicker back there," McConkey added.

James said: "We didn't do all our stuff on defense, but special teams had our back."

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