Justin Herbert picked a terrible time for a terrible performance.
The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback played poorly Saturday in a 32-12 Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans. He completed only 14-of-32 passes for 242 yards with four interceptions. Without a somewhat fluky 86-yard touchdown pass to Ladd McConkey, those numbers would have looked even worse.
It’s not the performance expected from a quarterback whose five-year, $262.5 million contract runs through the 2029 season. That’s a franchise quarterback contract, and Herbert did not deliver a franchise quarterback game against Houston.
“INTERCEPTED! ERIC MURRAY! PICK-SIX! TOUCHDOWN TEXANS!” – Ian Eagle 🏈🎙️ #NFL pic.twitter.com/z03bmP3v6V
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 12, 2025
NFL media quickly weighed in on Herbert’s disastrous outing. There were plenty of damning remarks, but Emmanuel Acho’s brutal X post is a good place to start.
“I’ve never said Justin Herbert was bad, he’s not. I’ve only said that he was overrated and over praised. Both of which have never been more obviously true,” Acho posted.
I was never wrong about Justin Herbert. I was only first.
I’ve never said Justin Herbert was bad, he’s not. I’ve only said that he was overrated and over praised. Both of which have never been more obviously true.#SocialMediaQuarterback pic.twitter.com/lpBL1D4Smb
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) January 12, 2025
Acho couldn’t help getting in another dig at Herbert.
How I’m watching the whole world realize Justin Herbert is a Social Media Quarterback… pic.twitter.com/FutafYxrCN
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) January 12, 2025
FS1’s Nick Wright pointed out it’s not Herbert’s first playoff flop.
Justin Herbert’s been in 2 playoff games in 5 years.
In both games, he was a road favorite against an AFC South champ that precisely no one believed in.
In both games, he played about as poorly as one can play in the 2nd half, leading to horrific losses.
“But the arm talent!”
— nick wright (@getnickwright) January 12, 2025
Others pointed to Herbert’s reputation for having great tools, but he’s still trying to translate that into performance.
Herbert about to enter the “Great talent but…” conversation.
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) January 12, 2025
Robert Griffin III said the media must hold Herbert accountable for another playoff fail.
The national media better hold Justin Herbert accountable for his playoff performances like they do to Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 12, 2025
And finally, Ken Fang pointed out this bizarre oddity, that in a 1979 playoff game, the Houston Oilers intercepted five passes from Chargers QB Dan Fouts.
In 1979, the Houston Oilers picked off Dan Fouts of the San Diego Chargers five times in the Divisional playoffs.
In 2025, the Houston Texans picked off Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers four times in the Wild Card playoffs.
— Ken Fang — Very Asian (@fangsbites) January 12, 2025
Fouts, of course, is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and proved himself in numerous big games. Herbert is still trying to prove he can win on the big stage.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.