INGLEWOOD — Bradley Bozeman saw what was happening to Justin Herbert, and he didn’t like it one bit. New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd grabbed hold of Herbert’s right ankle and leg after Herbert avoided a sack by pitching a pass to running back J.K. Dobbins for a 10-yard gain.
From a distance, it appeared Shepherd was attempting a move you might only see in professional wrestling. From up close, it looked like the dirtiest play Bozeman had ever seen. So, Bozeman sprung into action, knocking Shepherd off Herbert with a powerful two-handed shove.
“He’s a fighter, he’s our leader, he’s our quarterback,” Bozeman said.
Herbert, hoping to prevent Bozeman from picking up an unnecessary roughness penalty or perhaps even an ejection, got to his feet unscathed and pulled his teammate away from Shepard. It was a case of a center coming to his quarterback’s aid and a quarterback coming to his center’s aid.
Bozeman and Shepherd each earned unnecessary roughing penalties.
“I think it’s just something that’s instinctual,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Offensive linemen, we ask them to do so much. Run-block. They’re hitting every play. They’ve got to pass-block. You’re asking them to pursue the play in case there’s a fumble down the field. They’ve got to hustle.
“Everybody knows Justin has a bad ankle. I wasn’t out there. I just saw what I saw and how long it was going on. That’s going on too long; it should be an ejection. I don’t blame (Bozeman). I don’t encourage that at all. I don’t blame him, either. That’s how they’re wired. They’re protectors.”
Herbert said he was grateful for Bozeman’s intervention.
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“I just saw Bradley Bozeman defending me,” Herbert said. “That’s what I saw. That’s the type of center you want on your team. He will give everything for this team. I appreciate what he did. I tried to pull him off so he wouldn’t get any penalties called. To have a guy defending you, there’s no better feeling.”
WIDE RIGHT
Long snapper Josh Harris’ poor snap on a first-quarter punt resulted in JK Scott scrambling after the loose ball in his end zone. Scott couldn’t secure the ball, but tried to bat it out of the end zone and out of harm’s way. Special teams ace Hassan Haskins then managed to do what Scott couldn’t.
It resulted in a safety and two points for the Saints.
It’s believed to be the first errant snap on a punt, field goal or extra point since Harris and Scott signed with the Chargers before the 2022 season, an uncharacteristic miscue from a special teams unit that hasn’t had a punt or a kick blocked, either. Harris is a 13-year veteran and Scott is in his seventh season.