"Justin Herbert can throw a strawberry through a battleship" - Ravens DC's bizarre compliment for Chargers QB

Justin Herbert would likely agree that it is harder to find more intriguing vocabulary and phrasing than with some of the world's coaches.

These employees spend so much time talking that they develop their own language and ways of explaining ideas. Whereas most would say "Justin Herbert has a great arm," the Ravens' defensive coordinator put it in an entirely new light.

When talking about Los Angeles Chargers QB Herbert with the Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec, Don "Wink" Martindale somehow equated him with strawberries and battleships.

"He's one of those guys who can throw a strawberry through a battleship," Maritndale said.

Why was the Ravens DC talking about Justin Herbert, strawberries and battleships?

Apparently, there's a class of quarterbacks who fit into the "strawberry" category. Does that mean that everyone else can only throw a coconut through a battleship? At the bottom, does it take a lightsaber from Star Wars for the worst quarterbacks to throw something through a battleship?

No matter how bizarre the tier system Martindale ranks his quarterbacks by, it doesn't take much prompting for most to give their praise to Justin Herbert.

The second-year quarterback has already done so much, and he seems to be just getting warmed up. That is saying something, as Herbert has been on fire from the word "go."

In his rookie season, Herbert played in 15 games. The quarterback completed 396 of 595 pass attempts (66.6 percent) for 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. This was in his rookie season.

Compared with what the rookie quarterbacks of the succeeding draft class are doing, Herbert is blowing away the competition.

Some veterans have a 20-year career and never put up a statline like what Herbert was able to accomplish in his maiden voyage in the NFL. Some wondered and half-expected Herbert to slow down in his second season. When rookies have a big first year, they usually fall back to earth as defenses catch on and figure out how to exploit a quarterback's weaknesses.

Well, it looks like defenses are still looking for an answer after Herbert's first third of the season draws to a close. Through five games, the quarterback is 4-1 with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders. On Sunday, Herbert took down Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns.

The wins have not come ugly, either. Herbert is clearly running the show and he is on pace to supplant his rookie year. Through five games, the quarterback has 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. At this pace, Herbert could easily triple his touchdowns. If his interceptions were to also triple, he would still have thrown fewer interceptions in 2021 than in 2020.