After three games, the question around Justin Herbert is no longer theoretical. It’s here.
The Chargers are 0-3 after Sunday’s 24-16 loss to the Bills, and while the defense did its part by forcing five turnovers, the offense still couldn’t turn that into enough points. Herbert went 20-of-34 for 226 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
That line alone doesn’t scream disaster. The larger issue is what it’s adding up to. Through three games, Herbert has 627 passing yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions, along with a 73.4 passer rating.
For a quarterback of Herbert’s caliber, that’s not nearly enough.
This isn’t about Herbert looking lost on every snap. He’s still showing the kind of arm talent and shot-making that made the Chargers invest so heavily in him. The problem is that those flashes aren’t translating into consistent offense, especially when the game is there to be taken.
Sunday was a clean example of the disconnect. Los Angeles opened with a 10-0 lead after Buffalo’s first two turnovers, then kept getting chances as the defense piled up takeaways.
By the end of the game, the Bills had coughed it up five times. The Chargers, though, managed only two field goals over the final two quarters.
That can’t happen.
It would also be too simple to pin all of this on Herbert. The Chargers have been dealing with injuries, including the long-term losses of tight ends David Njoku and Charlie Kolar.
Up front, the offensive line has had to adjust after Tyler Biadasz suffered a season-ending knee injury before the season. On top of that, Herbert is working in a new offense under Mike McDaniel, and that kind of change comes with an adjustment period.
Still, the quarterback has to lift the group eventually.
That’s what makes the next stretch so important. The Chargers can’t keep waiting for everything to click while the losses keep stacking up. They’re already in a deep hole at 0-3, and there’s no room left for patience to become a habit.
Herbert has earned the benefit of the doubt because of everything he’s already done in his career. He’s been one of the most talented quarterbacks in football and has put together some incredible seasons. This isn’t a sudden verdict on his ability.
It is a reminder that what he’s producing right now isn’t good enough.
The Chargers need him to be the kind of quarterback who can seize a game when the moment calls for it. Against Buffalo, he had the chances. The offense didn’t cash them in.
There’s still a lot of football left. One strong performance can change the conversation fast.
In Other News...
Jim Harbaugh Just Turned Up The Pressure On Justin Herbert
After the Chargers 24-16 loss to the Bills, Jim Harbaugh did something he rarely does in public: he put the spotlight squarely on Justin Herbert. Harbaugh also made sure to note the coaching staff shares responsibility for the offenses sluggish start, but his message was plain enough. Herbert needs to be better, and the Chargers need a sharper return from a quarterback who has opened the season with more interceptions than touchdowns and a low completion percentage.
Herbert did not push back. He accepted responsibility for the offenses performance and said the turnaround begins with him, which at least keeps the conversation pointed in one direction for now. For a team trying to settle its identity under Harbaugh, the tension is obvious: the coach is demanding more from his quarterback, and the quarterback knows the next step has to come from his own play. [Read more 🡒]
Harbaughs Biggest Chargers Problem Is Starting To Cost Them
The Chargers are off to a frustrating 0-3 start, and the strange part is that the defense has given them chances to change the script. In Sundays loss, the unit forced five turnovers, a number that usually should be enough to tilt a game in your favor, but the offense could not turn those takeaways into enough points to make them matter.
What has started to draw the most scrutiny is Jim Harbaughs decision-making on fourth down. Several conservative calls ended in field goal attempts instead of a more aggressive approach that some analytics models favored, and a later fourth-and-10 try from their own 45-yard line failed and handed the opponent momentum at a pivotal moment. For a team already searching for traction, those choices are becoming part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Quentin Johnston Puts Chargers Fans Back In A Tough Spot
Sean Payton had plenty to unpack after Denvers fourth-quarter comeback, but for Chargers fans the more familiar concern came from the other sideline chatter. Quentin Johnston owned up to a costly drop in a recent loss, a reminder of how quickly a single miscue can tilt a game and reopen old doubts about the offenses reliability in tight moments.
Johnston said he understands how difficult those moments can be, and for Los Angeles thats what makes the conversation linger. The Chargers have spent enough time trying to steady themselves through uneven stretches that every missed chance gets magnified, especially when a receiver with Johnstons role is involved and the margin for error keeps shrinking. [Read more 🡒]