Following their 27-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Sao Paolo, Brazil, the Los Angeles Chargers have inserted themselves as one of the league’s most intriguing upcoming teams. Head Coach Jim Harbaugh called a great game, and the team played hard-fought, inspired ball. The real difference, however, was the performance from the former 6th overall pick from the 2020 draft, quarterback Justin Herbert. He threw for 318 yards, three touchdowns, didn’t commit any turnovers, and most importantly, secured an integral week one victory against the three-time AFC defending champions.
Critics haven’t always been kind to Herbert. From playoff struggles to at times inconsistent decision-making, and only a 0.480 career winning percentage, there have been times when the 6’6 gunslinger has warranted that criticism. One thing no one has ever been able to critique is his talent. With ideal size for the position, a rocket arm, underrated athleticism, and a fast-processing mind, Herbert has everything you want for a quarterback, on paper.
Unfortunately for him, the on-paper talent hasn’t always led to on-field success.
Justin Herbert Is Starting to Become Elite
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From Bright Start to Stalled Progress
Before this year, Herbert’s career had been a mixed success. While starting off his early career with two plus 4,300-yard passing seasons, including a 5,000-yard passing season in 2021, those statistics have rarely led to long-term team success. While certainly not all his fault, in his first six years of his career, he has yet to win a playoff game. Much of that can be attributed to turnover at the coaching position. Herbert’s rookie year head coach, Anthony Lynn, was fired soon after the season ended and was replaced by Brandon Staley.
Staley, coming over from the Los Angeles Rams defense, was thought to be a tactician who could turn a semi-talented Chargers’ defense into one of the league’s best. It never got off to the success fans and media envisioned, as Staley’s defenses ranked 30th in points allowed during his tenure. The former Chargers’ head coach greatly struggled with clock management, as seen in an overtime timeout debacle in 2021, which ended up eliminating them from the playoffs. Additionally, in 2022, Staley’s poor clock management and defensive playcalling allowed the Jacksonville Jaguars to march back from a 27-0 deficit to win a wildcard game in one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history.
The more Justin Herbert spent time under Staley, the worse he looked. Head-scratching decisions, a lack of aggressiveness, and injuries to key playmakers like Mike Williams and Keenan Allen all contributed to this period of decline. It was clear Staley was impacting the team poorly, but heading into 2023, the Spanos family made the shocking decision to give him another shot.
Not shockingly, the season ended in disaster, and Staley was gone after an embarrassing 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. As legendary head coach Sean Payton had shown interest in coaching Hebert in the Chargers in the 2022 offseason, it seemed like Los Angeles had missed out on a huge opportunity. It ended up working just fine for them, though.
Jim Harbaugh Hiring and Justin Herbert’s Future
A great culture setter can go a long way in the NFL. That’s exactly what Harbaugh is. While he may not call offensive or defensive plays, he’s known for his history of quarterback development and ability to be one of the best motivators in the league. He’s already shown great promise in Los Angeles, bringing them to the playoffs in just his first year. Harbaugh is infatuated with Herbert’s ability and potential, saying, “Any and every way, he is probably the best leader I’ve ever been around… He’s like a human computer chip for a brain,” and calling him a “Complete stud.”
After one of Herbert’s best career games yesterday, he’s hitting his prime just in time for the Harbaugh era. If Harbaugh can keep empowering him to be a great leader and quarterback, the sky is truly the limit. He has all the tools to be an elite quarterback; he just needed an in-your-face coach like Harbaugh to get him there. As long as Harbaugh and General Manager Joseph Hortiz keep adding talent around him like 2025 first-round pick Omarion Hampton and 2024 second-round pick Ladd McConkey, Herbert will soon reach the top level of quarterback play.
Look out AFC, there could be a sneaky contender coming out of Los Angeles.
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Main Image: Â Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images
