Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh marvels at play of QB Justin Herbert against Chiefs

EL SEGUNDO — Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh couldn’t have been happier about the team’s victorious trip to Brazil. He praised everyone Monday from the offensive and defensive lines to the team’s support and media relations departments to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to their hosts in Sao Paulo.

“It was seamless,” Harbaugh said. “Just absolutely crushed the trip.”

He saved his highest praise for last, though.

“Obrigado, Justin Patrick Herbert,” Harbaugh said, giving thanks to his strong-armed and strong-willed quarterback in Portuguese, the man who orchestrated the Chargers’ rollicking 27-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday, ending their frustrating seven-game losing streak to one of their AFC West rivals.

Harbaugh marveled at Herbert’s statistics, of course. After all, Herbert threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in a redemptive game after he threw a career-high four interceptions in the Chargers’ 32-12 loss to the Houston Texans in an AFC wild-card game in January.

Four different receivers caught passes for 50 yards or more.

What seemed to amaze Harbaugh most about Herbert’s play was one moment, in particular, in response to a crunching sack by hard-charging Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill on a second-and-7 play from the Chargers’ 29-yard line, resulting in an 8-yard loss and a third-and-15 situation from their own 21.

Herbert shook off the hit from a former teammate, connected with wide receiver Quentin Johnston for a 14-yard gain that might have resulted in a first down if Johnston had simply tumbled to the turf instead of running laterally across the field in a futile attempt to pick up more yards.

Omarion Hampton, a rookie running back, gained 4 yards on the ensuing fourth-and-1 play, and the drive continued. Herbert later threw an 11-yard touchdown pass, a pinpoint spiral to wide receiver Keenan Allen to give the Chargers a 20-12 lead with 32 seconds left in the third quarter.

“A huge hit on Justin, the kind of hit that would have killed a lesser man,” Harbaugh said, dropping a ton or two of hyperbole while recalling Tranquill’s sack of Herbert. “That’s how big that hit was. Let’s be honest about that, and then our guy, Justin Herbert, gets right back in the huddle.

“I’ve been telling people that Justin’s great. Just unbelievable. Incredible, the kind of player he is. That’s especially hard. Most quarterbacks, most human beings don’t take that kind of a big hit to come back the next play and stand in there and look down the barrel and, boom, it’s pretty impressive.”

EXTRA POINTS

Harbaugh confirmed linebacker Denzel Perryman suffered a sprained ankle in the first half on Friday, but he didn’t provide further details on his availability to practice this week or play next Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders. Harbaugh said he didn’t know if Perryman would be placed on IR. …

Running back Najee Harris played only 12 snaps against the Chiefs, gaining 5 yards on one carry and catching one pass for 5 yards. Harbaugh said he expected Harris’ workload to increase. Harris missed all of training camp because of an eye injury sustained in a fireworks accident on July 4.