Justin Herbert had a disappointing performance against the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round. The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback threw four interceptions in his team’s 32-12 loss to Houston and was heavily criticized by fans.
Emmanuel Acho, known as one of Herbert’s biggest critics, also gave a brutally honest analysis of how the quarterback played against the Texans.
Emmanuel Acho Calls Out Justin Herbert
A few years ago, Acho labeled Herbert as a “social media quarterback” because the Chargers star always looked good in highlights but could not get results when it mattered the most.
The former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker again discussed those points and even suggested Herbert is the most “overpraised” quarterback in NFL history during a segment on FS1’s “The Facility.”
“I would suggest he might be the most overrated and overpraised quarterback in the history of the NFL,” Acho said. “I have never once said Justin Herbert is a bad quarterback. He is not. Justin Herbert is a good quarterback, but he is incredibly overrated, and he is incredibly overpraised. Justin Herbert’s last three healthy seasons, he has had to play three must-win games, and he has lost all three of them.”
.@EmmanuelAcho on how bad this playoff loss is for Justin Herbert’s legacy:
“When you need him the most, Justin gives you the least.” pic.twitter.com/fYLPkhNuM7
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) January 13, 2025
Acho listed these games where the Chargers needed to win, and Herbert wasn’t able to lead his team effectively:
- During the 2021 NFL season, during the Week 18 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Chargers would have clinched a playoff spot with a win or tie.
- During the 2022 NFL season, the Chargers blew a 27-0 lead in the Wild Card Round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
- The latest playoff loss to the Texans, in which Herbert threw for 242 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions while completing 43.7% of his throws with a passer rating of 40.9.
“So, how bad was this playoff loss? I don’t know. I mean, you tell me, but I can tell you, it was about as bad as it can look,” added Acho. “I get it, he throws a pretty ball. I get it, he’s 6’5″. I get it, he can run, but when you need it most, he gives you the least.”
The Chargers star threw just three interceptions during the regular season, but he exceeded that total in just one playoff game. The matchup against the Texans was one of the biggest games of Herbert’s career, but unfortunately, he played one of the worst games he has ever played in the NFL.
Of Herbert’s 81 career games, regular season and postseason, his 62.6 grade on Wild Card Weekend ranked 80th, only ahead of a Week 14 performance in 2023 vs. Denver, according to PFN’s QB+ metric.
Herbert has all the talent required to be a top quarterback in the NFL, but so far, he has failed to deliver on the big stage. He is now 0-2 in the playoffs, and his reputation around the league has taken a big hit.
Chargers Need To Add Talent Around Their Star QB
Apart from Ladd McConkey, no other Chargers player stepped up to help the quarterback. Even their running game was ineffective, as the entire team only rushed for 50 yards, which is less than half of what Joe Mixon (106 yards) did alone for the Texans.
Jim Harbaugh did a great job in his first season with the Chargers, improving the team’s defense, but now he needs to add more talent around his quarterback. If the Los Angeles Rams lose the last game of Wild Card Weekend, the Chargers will have the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and they should certainly look to get a receiver.
The AFC West team is also projected to have $77.95 million in salary cap space for next season, the fourth-highest in the league. They could go into the market for receivers like Tee Higgins or cheaper options like Diontae Johnson (who they put in a claim for this season) and Keenan Allen (who they traded due to cap constraints).
Herbert averaged 227.6 passing yards per game in the regular season, his career’s lowest mark. The Chargers did not ask much from him due to their defense, but in the playoffs, teams cannot rely exclusively on playing that way. Currently, the Chargers are not built to play from behind, and they have to get more playmakers to help their quarterback in case the team is required to play differently.