Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers suffered a devastating 32-12 loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round. It was an embarrassing performance from the Chargers quarterback as he threw four interceptions, one more than he threw in the entire regular season (three).
Herbert is now 0-2 in the playoffs, and NFL fans on social media didn’t waste any time shaming him for his play.
Fans Call Out Justin Herbert for Embarrassing Performance in Wild Card Game
Herbert was 14-of-32 for 242 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions, including one pick-six. He completed only 43.75% of his throws, had a passer rating of just 40.9, and was sacked four times.
In his first playoff game, the Chargers quarterback lost after leading 27-0, and now the blowout loss against the Texans has earned him criticism from everyone around the world. Here are some of the reactions from fans to Herbert’s performance:
“Justin Herbert’s legacy is so cooked,” said a fan.
Most overrated qb in the last decade
— Alex 🐻⬇️ 5-12 (@ChiSportsAlex) January 12, 2025
Another fan added, “Herbert is terrible, genuinely have no idea why people rate him.”
Justin Herbert is so garbage man…yall really hyped this dude up…overthrew Ladd by a mile https://t.co/xaY8U0d3ri
— Ready 4 the Draft (@ATL_4Real) January 12, 2025
“Don’t ever say this dude is better than Tua Tagovailoa,” wrote a fan.
Another fan said, “Herbert is pulling a Dak Prescott in this Wild Card game.”
Herbert is terrible. Damn 😂 https://t.co/tkCGoe9n9x
— MJAY (@Mjaysportster) January 12, 2025
Herbert threw more interceptions in the Wild Card game than he did in 17 regular season games in 2024. It was a completely unacceptable performance from a quarterback who is one of the highest earners in the league.
Herbert signed a five-year, $262.5 million contract extension with the Chargers in 2023, the third-highest value contract in NFL history. In two playoff appearances, he has thrown for 515 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions, completing 52% of his throws with a passer rating of 60.7.
The Chargers have a big offseason ahead as they have to get more talent around their quarterback. Ladd McConkey had a solid game as he finished with nine receptions for 197 yards and a touchdown, but apart from him, no other player on offense stepped up. Herbert played poorly, but the team could have won if other players hadn’t dropped passes and made errors, which were quite hard to explain.
The Texans’ defense limited the Chargers to just 50 rushing yards, which was a big reason they won.
Herbert’s Reputation Has Taken a Big Hit With the Loss vs. Texans
Former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley and the team’s defense were blamed for Herbert’s first playoff loss. People always said that the 26-year-old quarterback would take the next step with a new head coach and a better defense because he always had fantastic stats in the regular season.
The Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh before the season, and he instantly improved their defense. Los Angeles came into this game with the league’s best-scoring defense, yet Herbert was not able to will his team to a win.
Everyone knows that the Chargers star has exceptional arm talent and can match every throw Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow can make. However, the other elite quarterbacks in the league have proved themselves in the playoffs, while Herbert has played his worst on the biggest stage.
Unless he takes his team to a deep playoff run, Herbert will be heavily criticized for the rest of his career. The failures in playoffs are hard to ignore, and as of now, there is no difference between him and quarterbacks like Tagovailoa, Prescott, and Kyler Murray.