The two passes Justin Herbert completed to rookie Ladd McConkey on the Chargers’ final drive were not notable for their precision or difficulty. What made them extraordinary were the events that led up to them.

Herbert had missed each of his previous seven pass attempts. He had lost a fumble. The Chargers had blown a 21-point lead to the Cincinnati Bengals.

With the Chargers looking like they were “loading” again, how could Herbert maintain the confidence to throw the ball over Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton and into the hands of McConkey for a 28-yard gain?

How could he stay calm enough to give McConkey a 27-yard strike two plays later, this time with a Bengals lineman about to drive him into the SoFi Stadium lawn?

How could he have the nerve to risk Derwin James Jr.’s safety anyway? promise before he took the field for that ride?

“He said he was going out to do the play,” a smiling James later recalled, “and then he went out and did it.”

The Chargers Ladd McConkey (15), who had six receptions for 123 yards against the Bengals, is tackled by Logan Wilson after making a catch.

(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Herbert’s passes to McConkey moved the Chargers into field goal range and set up a 29-yard touchdown run by JK Dobbins that marked the difference in their 34–27 win over the Bengals.

Herbert did more than just improve the Chargers to 7-3. He spared them the kind of late-game disaster their franchise is known for, from the talk that even coach Jim Harbaugh couldn’t beat the Chargers Curse.

“Start the MVP talk,” Dobbins said.

If the way the game ended showed Herbert’s resilience, the first half was a demonstration of the 26-year-old quarterback’s dominance.

Opposing Herbert was the quarterback selected first in the same draft in which Herbert was selected sixth, Joe Burrow. Catching passes from Herbert before the game, as he usually does, Harbaugh noticed something was different on this day.

“Every ball tight,” Harbaugh said. “It came out so well, so accurate, I could just feel it and see that he was going to have a big night for himself.”

The Chargers went three-and-out on their opening drive, but scored touchdowns on their next three possessions.

Chargers tight end Will Dissly (81) catches a touchdown pass past Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (29).

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Herbert found tight end Will Dissly for a 29-yard touchdown. He hit Quentin Johnston for a 26-yard score. Herbert’s 31-yard scramble set up a one-yard touchdown run by Dobbins.

In addition to passing for 297 yards, Herbert finished as the Chargers’ rushing leader with 65 yards.

With his team taking a 24-6 lead at halftime, Herbert looked like he was ready to compete with Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes for the unofficial title of the league’s best quarterback.

Everything suddenly changed in the third quarter.

The Chargers scored five times in the second half. They lost a ball on the first play of the fourth quarter when Herbert fumbled at the end of a seven-yard run. Herbert missed receivers high, he missed them low and he missed them wide.

“I think it’s up to us to execute,” Herbert said. “We have to continue to do better by performing in third place. There are a few balls I would like to get back and throw again.”

Before the game-winning drive, Herbert had completed just five of 19 passes in the second half.

Overcoming such a loss of rhythm to lead the team to victory only increased his teammates’ admiration for him.

“He’s a leader, and it doesn’t really matter what happens in the flow of the game,” linebacker Daiyan Henley said. “With a leader like that, man, the type of team we have, no matter how the game goes, we’re going to come out on top.”

Harbaugh nicknamed Herbert “Beast” last week, but edge rusher Joey Bosa revealed the coach has at least one other nickname for him: “The Cleaner.”

“He cleans up everyone else’s mistakes,” edge rusher Joey Bosa said.

As usual, Harbaugh went on and on about his leader on the field, but he failed to explain how Herbert made the plays he made on the final drive.

“I don’t know exactly how to say it yet,” Harbaugh said. “I’ll get back to you later.”

Harbaugh will have plenty of time to do that, as Herbert wants to give him plenty of opportunity to talk about him.

Herbert’s story is no longer about what he can be. Herbert’s story now is about what he is.