When the Los Angeles Chargers drafted Justin Herbert, they were certain that he was the heir to the Philip Rivers dynasty in the powder blues. Has he ever won a playoff game?
Justin Herbert’s Impressive Start to Career
The Chargers selected Herbert with the No. 6 overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Since then, he’s made a case that he is the best quarterback in the draft and has the accolades to prove it.
Herbert has been breaking records since he was a rookie. He has the most passing touchdowns (31), total touchdowns (36), 300-yard passing games (8), completions (396), and games with three or more passing touchdowns (6) among rookies ever. And this was all in 15 games, as opposed to a now 17-game full season.
It should be no surprise that Herbert was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after the 2020 season. He followed that year up with a 2021 season in which he eclipsed 5,000 yards passing (5,014), threw for 38 touchdowns, and ran for three more. He was named to the Pro Bowl at the end of that season.
Herbert also broke the records for most passing yards in a quarterback’s first two (9,350) and three (14,089) NFL seasons and is the record holder for most total touchdowns through a quarterback’s first two seasons (77).
But while his personal accolades are impressive, and he continues to charge up the leaderboards, how has Herbert fared in the playoffs in terms of stats?
Has Herbert Ever Won a Playoff Game?
Los Angeles made the playoffs with Herbert just once prior to the 2024-25 NFL season. His Chargers lost to the Jaguars in Jacksonville by a score of 31-30, inking Herbert’s postseason record at 0-1.
Herbert completed 25 out of 43 passes for 273 yards, threw one touchdown, and had a QB rating of 84.7. His top target was Gerald Everett, who caught six out of eight passes for 109 yards and the score.
How Will Herbert Fare in the Playoffs?
Herbert ranked as the 14th-best quarterback in our QB+ metrics here at Pro Football Network, with a C+ (78.9) grade. But with his recent run of play, there is some reason for optimism heading into his second playoff start.
Herbert’s season-long numbers are mostly underwhelming for a player of his natural talent. He’s not in the top 10 in many statistics, ranking second in TD/INT rate (7.7), having thrown just three interceptions.
Herbert ranks 11th in nYPA (7.2) and 12th in overall EPA/DB (0.10) and crept just into the top 10 when operating from a clean pocket (0.3 EPA/DB).
Herbert ranks fourth in the last four weeks and may well be peaking just in time for the playoffs. Two of his four B- or better performances came in the last four weeks, and three of his eight games graded as a C+ or better fell in that timespan.