Ben Roethlisberger described Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert as a "special talent" after his display in a stunning 41-37 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Herbert capped off an impressive performance by throwing a 53-yard touchdown pass to Mike Williams with just over two minutes remaining as the Chargers avoided a dramatic collapse after holding off Roethlisberger's rallying Steelers 41-37.
The 23-year-old became the first player in NFL history with 380-plus passing yards and 90-plus rushing yards in a game.
He finished 30-of-41 passing for 382 yards and three TDs, while he rushed for another 90 yards – the most by a Chargers quarterback in a game.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Roethlisberger said: "They're a really good football team. It starts with their quarterback.
"He's a great young football player. Ran all over the place today, made throws. What a special talent, he's the next generation."
Chargers head coach Brandon Staley was equally effusive in his praise of his quarterback following the tight win in Los Angeles.
"He was fantastic in the game today. He was the best player on the field. He's got real instincts at the game," Staley said.
"He threw the football at a really high-level tonight, kept himself protected, stayed turnover free… it was just real quarterbacking today and I'm really really proud of him."
The Chargers were ahead 27-10 entering the final quarter before the Steelers fought back to sensationally take a 37-34 lead with just over three minutes remaining, before Herbert's throw found Williams for the winning touchdown.
"It turned into a wild ride, but we were ready for it," Staley said about his team's performance.
"We played nine games before today where we've been preparing for a fourth quarter like that, and when the fourth quarter happened the way it did, our guys stayed connected.
"We played our best at the end, we finished the game on our terms, and I can't say enough about our players and coaches because that's as good a win as we've had."