Do the Chargers have a Justin Herbert problem after QB's dismal play in loss vs. Texans?

After Saturday's loss to the Houston Texans, the discourse machine around the Los Angeles Chargers fired up to an unprecedented degree.

Of course, that's what usually happens when a team gets beaten as badly as the Chargers did on Saturday; the 32-12 scoreline belied some of just how bad the Bolts were offensively, and those sorts of performances lead to questions about the future. But one question, one that has been murmured and grumbled for several years now, reached a new level after this loss:

Can the Chargers win with Justin Herbert as their quarterback?

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Herbert has been a polarizing figure in the NFL practically since he was drafted out of Oregon in 2020. He was a litmus test, a dividing line of the sort not seen since Joe Flacco's heyday. Was Herbert actually any good, or was he just a flashy player who couldn't make plays when it counted?

If Saturday is any indication, the haters might have been right all along. Herbert went out and delivered what was maybe the single worst game of his career against the Texans, completing just 14 of 32 passes for 241 yards, a touchdown and four interceptions (a career-high for picks in a game). He looked lost frequently, and made some truly head-scratching decisions throughout the game.

All of this is exactly what Herbert's critics have said for years. They point out that he has a knack for throwing absolutely bone-headed interceptions at the absolute worst time, that his decision-making leaves much to be desired out of a franchise quarterback. They say that for all his physical tools, he doesn't really have the right mindset to be a truly elite passer, that when the rubber hits the road, once you get to the playoffs, he's not going to have what it takes to win games. That even in his best statistical seasons, his games are littered with picks and decisions that leave you saying "what the hell was he thinking?"

And while that may be true, it's also an unfair characterization of Herbert and the Chargers, especially this season, and in this game.

Prior to this game, Herbert had had a stellar year for the Chargers. Sure, he didn't put up massive numbers like he had in years past, but he had cut down on turnovers, throwing just three picks on the season, and still threw for nearly 4,000 yards on the year.

He did that despite an incredibly flawed offensive roster. His singular reliable pass-catching weapon was rookie Ladd McConkey (yes, I know that Quentin Johnston had 711 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on the year, but would you trust him in crunch time to hang onto the football? Neither would I). Making matters worse, the Texans have one of the most terrifying pass rushes in all of football, and they were absolutely in their bag on Saturday.

Herbert was sacked four times, was hit nine times, and spent big chunks of this game trying to get the ball out quickly, which didn't go great for him. At one point, against pressure, he was 1 of 10 for 17 yards in this game. That's not a recipe for success. He also got no help in the run game; J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Hassan Haskins looked utterly useless, combining for just 50 yards on 18 carries (that's an average of just under 2,8 yards per carry, for those of you scoring at home). You're not going to win many ball games when your running game is that hapless.

Is Herbert a perfect quarterback? No, and he's probably never going to be. But expecting him to carry this flawed roster to a deep playoff run this season was always going to be a massive ask for him, and while these struggles didn't endear him to anyone, there's no denying the progress he made this year in terms of taking care of the football and making better decisions.

The Chargers' blueprint should be clear this offseason: get some more weapons in the passing game, grab one of the dozen or so talented running backs in the draft class, and see what Herbert can do when he's not relying on a singular player to make plays in the passing game.

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