Justin Herbert arrived in the NFL with the kind of hype that usually comes with franchise saviors, but the Chargers are staring at a much tougher truth now. The production that once made him look like one of the league’s brightest young quarterbacks has stalled, and this season has only sharpened the concern.
The numbers tell the story. Herbert has not thrown for more than 30 passing touchdowns since his second season, has not topped 4,000 passing yards since his third season and has still never won a playoff game. Los Angeles hired Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator with the hope that he could help unlock Herbert again, but that boost has not shown up.
Instead, Herbert is off to the worst start of his career, with just over 600 passing yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions through the opening stretch of the season. Sunday’s 24-16 loss to the Bills only added to the pressure. The Chargers were up 10-0, but Herbert threw another interception and played a major role in the collapse against a Buffalo team that came in 2-0.
Los Angeles is now 0-3, and the schedule ahead makes the situation even more precarious. The Chargers believed they had finally found a quarterback who could put them on equal footing with the league’s best teams, but right now Herbert has been part of the problem rather than the solution.
His decline in one of his best traits has been especially hard to miss. Herbert built his reputation as a dangerous deep-ball passer, but that part of his game has fallen apart. ESPN reporter Kris Rhim noted that he is only 1-for-12 with three interceptions on throws of 20 or more yards downfield this season.
The bigger picture is hard to ignore, too. Herbert has looked inaccurate, hesitant in the pocket and far less dependable than the player the Chargers once believed they could build around. For a quarterback who was long spoken of as one of the league’s elite, the current version looks a lot different.
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Bills Win Sparked Ugly Chargers Backlash Around Harbaughs Staff
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