Justin Herbert’s roughest stretch as an NFL quarterback got dragged into even stranger territory Sunday, when former linebacker Emmanuel Acho floated a gambling accusation after the Chargers’ latest loss.
Acho was reacting to Herbert’s two-interception day in a 24-9 defeat to the crosstown LA Rams on his podcast, and he opened with a brutal assessment of the quarterback’s vision and decision-making.
“Somebody gotta call an ophthalmologist cause Herbert can't see,” Acho said. “He can't see.
He needs LASIK. He can't see!
It is impossible to make the throws Justin Herbert makes on a weekly basis if his eyes were functioning properly. It's impossible to do it.
Impossible! He seemingly throws it directly to a defender every single week.”
He didn’t stop there.
“At this juncture in time, there are only a couple options,” he continued. “Either Herbert is invested in the opponent, either Herbert is gambling on the opponent, or Herbert simply cannot see.”
There is no evidence Herbert is gambling on his games, something that is expressly forbidden by the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.
There is also no evidence that Herbert’s struggles have anything to do with his recent engagement to singer-songwriter Madison Beer, even if some critics have tried to connect the dots.
What is clear is that the season has spiraled fast. Herbert now has 10 interceptions and only five touchdown passes for the 0-7 Chargers, a team staring at a major offseason overhaul if this doesn’t turn around in a hurry.
The offensive line has been part of the mess, with Herbert taking 23 sacks, but the blame doesn’t stop there. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is firmly in the crosshairs, and plenty have called for him to be fired.
Still, head coach Harbaugh appears to be sticking with him. After the loss, when asked whether McDaniel would keep calling plays, Harbaugh said, “Yes.
Not going to address anything. I’m focused on this game, and that’s my focus.”
Pressed again on what gave him hope, Harbaugh added: “Yeah, our motivation is dedication to getting it. To getting it changed, to getting it fixed.
“I said I’m focused on this game. I will go watch this tape.
And I believe in our guys. I believe in our players, our coaches, and, yeah, it’s us who are the ones that the challenge is with, and we’re the ones that, we’re the only ones that can fix it.”
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