HOUSTON — Justin Herbert sat in a rocker chair, hands in his lap, motionless and staring blankly. It didn't seem like it, but he was listening.
Defensive lineman Morgan Fox was sitting on the floor to Herbert's right. Fox was whispering to the Los Angeles Chargers quarterback.
“I told him I was proud of him,” Fox said. “For me, there's no one else I wouldn't want to go to war with. I mean he's probably the best quarterback I've ever played with. He's great. He's incredibly talented. I just told him to keep his head up.”
About a minute later, Fox appeared, hugged Herbert, and walked him to his locker on the other side of the room.
Herbert was then alone. He left behind his thoughts. He left the team with the uncontrollable pain of being eliminated from the playoffs again.
The Chargers lost 32-12 to the Houston Texans on Saturday at NRG Stadium. A dramatic comeback engineered by coach Jim Harbaugh ended in a whimper in the wild-card round. Herbert threw four interceptions. He never turned the ball over more than once in any game during his professional career.
“I let the team down,” Herbert said.
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Texans pick off Herbert 4 times in close 32-12 wild card game: Points
Herbert always takes responsibility after losing. Most of the time, he's just a good teammate. His assessment this time is accurate.
He had the worst game of his career in the biggest game of his career.
“No one feels worse than me,” Herbert said.
What awaits is the inevitable avalanche of questions and criticism. That's the nature of the position he plays. That's the nature of the huge contract he signed.
We'll probably be hearing that noise for at least another 12 months until we get another chance at a playoff championship.
Herbert has an incredible talent. No quarterback in NFL history has thrown for more yards over five seasons. He does things on the football field that few people have ever been able to do. But athletes are ultimately judged on how they perform when the lights are brightest: when championships are on the line. Herbert faltered on the big stage, going 0-2 in the playoffs.
Herbert last appeared in the postseason in 2022. He helped build a 27-0 lead against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the wild card round. The Chargers fell apart. Herbert missed a wide open Keenan Allen in the end zone late in the first half of that game. However, Herbert played well enough for the Chargers to win. We couldn't run the ball in the second half. They committed a backbreak penalty after a backbreak penalty as part of a defensive mess.
Saturday was different. No amount of nuance or context can explain this. Herbert looked tough. He made an unusually bad decision. He pitched uncharacteristically inaccurately.
Herbert threw three interceptions in 504 innings during the regular season. His four interceptions against the Texans were recorded on 32 attempts. He completed just 14 passes. His completion percentage of 43.8 was the worst of his career. According to TruMedia, he averaged -0.59 points per dropback, the lowest point of his career in a game he started and finished.
Harbaugh said Herbert played “just like any other day.”
“It's an absolute beast,” Harbaugh added.
But that's not true.
The Chargers led 6-0 early in the second quarter. Texans quarterback CJ Stroud floated the throw down the left sideline, aiming at no one in particular. Cornerback Dean Leonard was waiting, coming down with the interception and inbounding while tapping both toes along the sideline.
The Chargers took over the game at the Texans' 40-yard line. On the first play of the possession, the Chargers rolled Herbert to the right on a designed bootleg. There was pressure on Herbert's face as it continued throughout the match. He lost his balance and went all the way across the field against receiver Quentin Johnston on a corner route. It was a needlessly risky pitch. Underthrown. Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter made it. The Chargers needed less than five yards to get within field goal range for Cameron Dicker. This pitch cost me a point.
“I should throw the ball better and throw it farther,” Herbert said. “We have to do a better job of staying out of harm’s way.”
of @HoustonTexans Please take it back immediately! Kamari Lassiter with a pick.
📺: #LACvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+
📱: Streaming #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Up3GcnjfrY— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2025
The Chargers had selected the correct hash on this snap. Harbaugh said after the game that the play should have only been called if the Chargers were in the left hash and shortened the throw.
“I take responsibility for that,” Harbaugh said, even though offensive coordinator Greg Roman dictated the play.
Late in the third quarter, the Chargers took a 13-6 lead at their own 28-yard line. Herbert fired the shotgun. He saw receiver Ladd McConkie to his left, and he ran a return route from the frame. Herbert double pumped. He hadn't fully reset his foot. And Herbert's throw flew high and passed through McConkey's hands. Texans safety Eric Murray picked it up and returned it for a touchdown.
“It's my responsibility to pitch better,” Herbert said.
I took it to the crib! @HoustonTexans Expand your lead.
📺: #LACvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+
📱: Streaming #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/FZbCiIeG7u— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2025
Herbert was intercepted again on the next drive, but this was not his fault. Will Disley dropped the ball in his hand. It was a nice break, and Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. stopped it.
Herbert threw his fourth interception late in garbage time. Receiver DJ Chark was open on the go route. Herbert didn't put enough effort into his passes. Stingley, an All-Pro, was the game's second pick.
“It's my responsibility as the quarterback to be able to deliver the ball,” Herbert said.
The Chargers' offense was given chance after chance throughout the first three quarters. The unit wasted everything.
Most of these were about Herbert, but not all. The Chargers were dominated at the line of scrimmage. The Texans' defensive line, including edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Daniel Hunter, dominated the game. Right tackle Joe Alt had his worst game of the season. Right guard Jamaree Salyer was bullied for multiple pass-blocking snaps. Herbert was running for his life and shooting on many of his dropbacks.
“We can't let Justin hit us that many times,” left guard Zion Johnson said.
But Herbert has weathered this kind of pressure before. He did it most recently in Week 16 against the Denver Broncos, when he was pressured on 54.1 percent of his dropbacks.
The Chargers desperately needed playmaking from their best playmaker. And Herbert fell woefully short. He had no need to rush to try. The game called for a scramble to keep Houston's pass rush off balance.
“He has to be able to complete the pitching motion,” Harbaugh said. “We just couldn't put him in a position enough to do that.”
Herbert needs more weapons. McConkey caught nine passes for 197 yards and one touchdown. No other Chargers player caught more than two passes. That should be the focus for the organization this offseason. They need to add receivers and tight ends.
Disley had a commendable season, but had two critical drops. The interception was his second drop. The first came on second-and-19 in the first quarter. Safety Alohi Gilman had just forced a fumble on the Texans' early offensive play, setting up the Chargers in their own territory.
Herbert escaped the pressure and found Disley near the left sideline. Dissly would have been close to the first down yardage. Had he made the catch, at least the third down after that would have been more manageable. The Chargers made a field goal.
“We had to score,” said JK Dobbins, who had nine carries for 26 yards. Of those, only one carry came in the second half.
There were other missed opportunities in all three phases. Trailing 6-0 late in the first half, the Texans fell within their own 20 points and faced a third-and-16. Stroud dropped the snap of his shotgun. The ball was loose. However, Stroud picked up the ball and ran to his right to find receiver Xavier Hutchinson for a 34-yard gain. That sparked a 99-yard touchdown drive, capped off by a touchdown reception by Nico Collins. Collins had seven catches for 122 yards. Cornerback Christian Fulton struggled to fit in with the larger receivers.
Safety Darwin James Jr. said Stroud's coverage of the shove-and-sling was “a little off” because of the missed snap.
“I felt like that turned the game on its head,” James said.
“It went his way,” Gilman said.
“Exactly like they pictured!”
CJ Stroud makes things happen after a bad snap 😱
📺: #LACvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+
📱: Streaming #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/II2oMnkbM1— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2025
Early in the second half, the Chargers faced a fourth-and-two from the Texans' own 34-yard line. They got the ball back on another turnover, but this one was a forced fumble and recovery from safety Tony Jefferson. Harbaugh took on that challenge. Herbert took the snap under center and faked a handoff to running back Hassan Haskins. Johnston ran a whip route to the right side, feinted inside and cut flat. Herbert threw to Johnston, who was jammed at the line by Stingley. The pass was incomplete. Johnston did not run a route to the first down marker.
Harbaugh said the play's design required Johnston to go “deeper.”
“In some cases, it comes down to releases and press coverage,” Harbaugh added. “I wanted to call another play or kick a field goal there.”
It was a game of missed opportunities. The Chargers had their punt blocked and their extra point blocked by special teams. The Texans' two-point conversion gave them the extra point, turning McConkey's 86-yard touchdown into just a four-point swing.
As a result, Herbert was forced to miss the biggest opportunity of his career.
“He's the best quarterback I've ever played with,” Alt said.
“Our hearts are beating until 10 o'clock,” center Bradley Bozeman said. “He's a leader on this team. He's a very good football player.”
Herbert is currently following the trajectory of Peyton Manning's early career. He is the player with the most passing yards in his first five seasons.
Manning made the playoffs three times in his first five seasons. He had 0 wins and 3 losses. In his fifth season, his team, the Indianapolis Colts, lost 41-0 to the New York Jets in the wild card round. Manning completed 14 of 31 passes for 137 yards and two interceptions.
The following season, Manning won MVP. The Colts won two playoff games and advanced to the AFC Championship Game.
There's precedent for an incredibly talented quarterback struggling to overcome obstacles early in his career.
But like Manning, Herbert will face questions and criticism.
Until he showed up.
“I put the team at risk,” Herbert said. “It’s my responsibility to keep improving and moving forward.”
(Photo: Brandon Slaughter/Getty Images)
