Tyrod Taylor wins Chargers starting quarterback job as expected over rookie Justin Herbert
Veteran Tyrod Taylor will start at quarterback Week 1 for the Los Angeles Chargers.
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Any NFL fans who have been watching this season's edition of HBO's "Hard Knocks" that features both the Los Angeles Chargers and Rams surely knew this news was coming sooner rather than later: Chargers coach Anthony Lynn has named veteran journeyman Tyrod Taylor as the team's Week 1 starting quarterback over talented but raw rookie No. 6 overall pick Justin Herbert. This is far from a surprise.
While Herbert has had some "wow" throws on the show, he clearly didn't have a grasp of the intricacies of an NFL offense after spending most of his time in the shotgun formation at Oregon. Herbert flat-out admitted the amount of information he has to take in "catches up" to him at times. He hasn't taken a single first-team snap in camp, and it wouldn't be a shock if Herbert essentially takes a redshirt year in 2020 – unless the Chargers struggle mightily and he's thrown to the wolves later in the season.
This will be the 31-year-old Taylor's first time atop a depth chart since 2018 when he started the first three games for the Cleveland Browns before being replaced by then-rookie Baker Mayfield. Last year as Philip Rivers' backup with the Chargers, Taylor attempted just six passes.
In his nine-year career, Taylor has made 45 regular-season starts (23-21-1 SU), and in games he has thrown at least one pass his teams are 29-24-3 against the spread. Taylor's career numbers: 61.6 percent completions, 9,562 yards, 54 touchdowns, 20 interceptions and a rating of 89.8. That career rating would have ranked 15th in the NFL last season. If bettors at William Hill sportsbook are feeling adventurous, they can get Taylor at +10000 to win MVP.
The one thing that Taylor does do is take care of the ball. His career interception percentage is just 1.5. The only other active quarterbacks with a percentage below 2.0 are Dak Prescott, Russell Wilson and Tom Brady. Pretty good players!
"He takes care of the football," Lynn said of Taylor earlier in camp. "That's the thing I like about him the most. … I really believe you lose more games than you win. If you take care of the football, your chances are a lot better."
The Chargers are 3-point favorites Week 1 at Cincinnati, and with Herbert out of the running and Miami's Tua Tagovailoa expected to back up Ryan Fitzpatrick to open 2020, the Bengals' Joe Burrow would be the only rookie QB in the league to start Week 1.
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