Upcoming Career Defining Season for Chargers Quarterback
With the hiring of Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman, the Los Angeles Chargers were hoping to become a tough ground-and-pound team. Looking at the past, that is not what the Chargers have been as an offense. They usually have relied on the passing game due to the high level of quarterbacks they have rostered in the past, including Dan Fouts, Philip Rivers, and now Justin Herbert. Being that dominant run team in 2024 looked promising after the first two weeks of the season, but the identity would fade away. After a Week Five bye, the Chargers leaned into their star quarterback in Herbert, and it led them to a 9-4 record after their off week.
However, to the public eye, Herbert has been viewed as an underachiever, mainly due to the lack of playoff success. He is 0-2 in his career when it comes to the playoffs and has lost to inferior opponents compared to the Chargers. The 2025 season is starting to feel like Herbert's career-defining season and a season that could tip the scales on how fans and members of the media rank him among other QBs in the NFL. 2024 was Herbert’s best touchdown-to-interception ratio of his career, but he did not eclipse 4,000 yards passing for the second time in his career. The first being in 2023, but mostly because he only played 13 games due to a broken finger in his throwing hand.
When Harbaugh was hired, he mentioned that he did not want to overuse Herbert. The plan with Roman as the offensive coordinator was to implement a successful run game while asking Herbert to be a top-five quarterback when necessary. This is specifically hinting at when they are down in a game and need to make a comeback or a necessary play in a key situation. Can Herbert eclipse 4,000 yards again? No one knows, and it will not matter as long as the Chargers are winning games and the new running backs are performing efficiently.
The 2025 season for Herbert is going to require another great statistical output, limiting turnovers, and, most importantly, a playoff win or two. To gain the respect of the public, Herbert is going to need to perform when the lights are the brightest, which he is very capable of doing. Herbert is easily a top-five quarterback in the league when at his best. His raw talent is undeniable, but the playoff success and wins are what will establish him as one of the top quarterbacks in the league, frequently discussed by the media.
