Justin Herbert, the Los Angeles Chargers’ prolific quarterback, faced an unprecedented challenge during a wild-card playoff game against the Houston Texans. On a night that many hoped would highlight his skill, Herbert threw four interceptions, leading to a decisive 32-12 loss. This marked the first instance in NFL history where a player threw more interceptions in a playoff game than during the regular season, a record Herbert set with over 200 attempts under his belt.
Under immense pressure, Herbert was sacked four times and faced pressure on half of his dropbacks. Completing only 14 of 32 passes, he recorded a 43.8% completion rate—the lowest for a Chargers quarterback in a playoff game since Philip Rivers in 2006. This performance ranked as the third worst in franchise history for a game with at least 20 attempts.
Herbert shouldered the blame for his performance, candidly addressing reporters post-game. "I let the team down," he admitted. This defeat added to his challenging playoff history, following an earlier loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, where the Chargers squandered a 27-0 first-half lead. Now 0-2 in playoff appearances, Herbert's postseason woes continue.
Chargers' General Manager Joe Hortiz stood by Herbert, citing examples of other renowned quarterbacks who initially struggled in playoffs, such as Peyton Manning and Lamar Jackson. Coach Jim Harbaugh also took responsibility for the loss, attributing Herbert's struggles to inadequate protection against the Texans' aggressive pass rush.
"We did him a disservice and didn't put him in the positions to be successful," said Harbaugh.
Herbert's interceptions were not solely due to his decisions. His first interception stemmed from a dropped pass by tight end Will Dissly, while the final interception resulted from an underthrown pass to wide receiver DJ Chark, who had momentarily outpaced cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
Despite entering the game with the NFL's fewest regular-season interceptions, Herbert's uncharacteristic errors against the Texans proved costly.
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