Harbaugh says Herbert made it a “double wow” with long TD to Johnston

The headline moment for the Los Angeles Chargers’ preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams arrived quickly and traveled far. During a brief appearance, quarterback Justin Herbert connected with wide receiver Quentin Johnston for a 65-yard touchdown, a play that Jim Harbaugh described as a “double wow” because of both the throw and the way it developed.

Herbert’s dropback-to-delivery sequence, as described in the report, paired strong quarterback execution with clean work up front. The ball was delivered nearly 50 yards in the air and, crucially, Herbert received protection that allowed him to make the throw with time and accuracy, rather than improvising under pressure.

Johnston’s role on the play was equally specific. He streaked past defensive backs on the way to the end zone, turning a long pass into a full-field separation highlight and giving the Chargers an exclamation point in the type of moment coaches tend to emphasize in exhibition football.

Harbaugh’s reaction matters because it reflects the way the Chargers have approached their quarterback position and the trust they want to see from play to play. The piece notes that the head coach has rarely dialed down his enthusiasm for Herbert, and the long touchdown provided a straightforward reason to keep that tone elevated during the final tune-up.

Even in a preseason game, a deep connection like this carries roster and development value. Herbert and Johnston being on the same page for a long strike speaks to chemistry, timing, and the ability to execute a downfield concept against live coverage rather than in short, controlled reps.

Still, the broader evaluation picture should be kept in context. Preseason moments are real, but they are not the same as a regular-season drive chart, and one play does not settle questions about consistency across a full schedule, situational offense, or how units respond under game-planning constraints that intensify after roster cuts.

What to watch next is whether the Chargers can sustain that kind of execution beyond the highlight. If the long-ball timing continues in subsequent work leading into the regular season, it could influence how aggressively L.A. attacks field position and third-and-long situations, especially when the offense needs explosive plays to tilt coverage.

For now, the clearest takeaway from Harbaugh’s perspective is that the quarterback-to-receiver alignment produced a clean, high-value result on national television. The “double wow” is less about one specific drive and more about validating what the Chargers hope they are building: vertical threat, protection stability, and a credible downfield connection between Herbert and Johnston.