Unfortunately for the Los Angeles Chargers, they’re at a crossroads. Now they’re assessing their playoff hopes after an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Houston Texans. Star quarterback Justin Herbert—shot out of a cannon to start the season—has been an essential cog in the machine. On game day, he missed badly, going 14-of-32 passing for a lowly 43.8% completion percentage. Of all the above statistics, this one is the most disheartening. It sets the all-time worst completion percentage in a playoff game for a Chargers QB since Philip Rivers in 2006.
Additionally, Herbert was fighting an uphill battle with his fractured hand. He hurt it in Week 13, and that made the already depth-starved position all the more challenging. Despite this setback, Herbert has shown remarkable resilience throughout the regular season, where he avoided sacks effectively despite being pressured 252 times—the highest number of pressures for any quarterback in the NFL.
Herbert’s showings in the playoffs have left people scratching their heads. While he threw a league-low three interceptions during the regular season, he astonishingly tossed four against the Texans. This dramatic juxtaposition underscores a remarkable accomplishment. He set the record for the most interceptions thrown in a single playoff game by a quarterback in NFL history, more than he had in the full regular season (min. 200 pass attempts).
Herbert’s brilliant performances have created a puzzling dilemma for analysts and fans as well. Just like the league’s best quarterbacks, as a regular occurrence, his skill exceeds expectations in the most impactful moments. In the biggest games is where he always seems to struggle the most. His playoff record in the last three years is 0-2. He’s off that defeat at home from the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier in the postseason and now having just lost to the Texans.
Coach Jim Harbaugh, while acknowledging Herbert’s struggles, remains optimistic about the quarterback’s potential. He characterized Herbert’s performance across the board this season as “MVP-caliber.” This judgment is strongly indicative of Harbaugh’s conviction that Herbert has the talent to succeed even when the chips are down.
“I mean, he’s doing things game after game that are reserved for only the best that are in the game and have ever played the game.” – Jim Harbaugh
After hearing about the Texans’ victory, Herbert was disappointed, saying, “I let the team down.” His introspection reveals a deep sense of accountability, which can be both a strength and a burden for young athletes navigating high-stakes environments.
When asked how to respond to a disappointing performance, Coach Harbaugh admonished everyone to think about the next game and not worry about what’s already happened. “It’s the most important game because it’s the next one,” he stated, underscoring a philosophy of resilience and forward momentum.
Herbert echoed this sentiment, saying, “Coach Harbaugh said we’re in a position to be in a position, and I think that’s all you can ask for.” His words reflect an openness to study and adjust as they get ready to meet the challenges to come.
As the Chargers move forward, they must address Herbert’s inconsistencies while capitalizing on his strengths. Yet the team has shown flashes of greatness at various points throughout this season. Now, they need to focus on the right approaches to ensure that the wrong lessons don’t inform their next steps. The pressure remains high as they aim to build on what they have learned and improve their performance as they pursue success in the postseason.
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