Panthers vs. Chargers Week 3 Vegas spread and betting odds: Rookie QB Justin Herbert to start again

Los Angeles Chargers coach Anthony Lynn claimed early this week that veteran journeyman quarterback Tyrod Taylor remained his starting quarterback when healthy, but Taylor reportedly suffered a punctured lung in pregame warmups last Sunday and missed the game against Kansas City. Rookie No. 6 overall pick Justin Herbert played very well and nearly led the upset and is expected to start Sunday's home game, too, against the winless Carolina Panthers. The Bolts are -6.5 on the NFL odds.

Herbert thought Lynn was joking when the coach said the rookie was starting about 15 minutes before the Chiefs game. Taylor was one of the most unusual last-second quarterback scratches in memory. "I had to tell him a couple times, 'No, seriously, you're the starting quarterback,'" Lynn said of informing Herbert.

According to reports, the Chargers' team doctor accidentally punctured Taylor's lung while trying to administer a pain-killing injection – Taylor had suffered two cracked ribs during the Chargers' Week 1 win over the Bengals. Needless to say, a punctured lung is a multi-week issue. The NFL Players Association is investigating the mishap.

Herbert threw 311 yards and a score while rushing for a touchdown against Kansas City. For a point of comparison, Taylor has passed for 300-plus yards once in 47 career starts. Herbert joined former No. 1 overall picks Andrew Luck (2012) and Cam Newton (2011) as the only Top-10 quarterbacks to throw for more than 300 yards in their first start and still lose since 2001. The Chargers had gone an amazing 137 consecutive regular-season games without a rushing touchdown from their quarterback – which usually was Philip Rivers.

L.A. probably should have upset the Chiefs but lost 23-20 in overtime on a Harrison Butker 58-yard field goal, which came after Lynn opted to punt instead of going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Chargers' 34.

Herbert had been +4000 entering the season at William Hill sportsbook to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year but is now down to a +1400 fourth-favorite. Herbert could easily keep the job for good now, which would be nothing new for Taylor. He opened the 2018 season as the Browns' starter but suffered a concussion early in the year and rookie Baker Mayfield took over, never giving the job back.

Los Angeles catches a break here in that Carolina will be without its best player, running back Christian McCaffrey, who will miss around a month with an ankle injury. Following that news, the Panthers jumped to 7.5-point underdogs at William Hill, but the line has since dropped back to its open of 6.5.

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