Fans have long asked the same question: How can a year-seven quarterback suddenly forget how to play football? This criticism comes amid the Los Angeles Chargers franchise quarterback, Justin Herbert, throwing straight to opposing defenders and leading his team to a 0-5. But an NFL legend might have an answer to this appalling question.
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“You know, Mike McDaniel isn’t, like, creating these easy, what I call layups, high hoppers, for his quarterback,” Kurt Warner said on The Rich Eisen Show. “And then Justin doesn’t look comfortable playing within what they’re asking him to do. And I’ll even say another thing because I talk about it a lot. This whole idea of pure progression versus, you know, full field coverage-based read-type stuff. And I believe that Justin Herbert has been more in the world of the coverage-based reads.”
Warner attributed the interception to Herbert’s discomfort executing McDaniel’s coverage-based read system, which conflicts with his natural progression-read style. He highlighted that Herbert has been giving the ball away to the defenders numerous times, with the latest crucial interception being the fourth-quarter one with 3:19 left, when Herbert threw a pass directly to Denver Broncos safety Brandon Jones, with the Chargers ultimately losing 23-17 as the turnover led to the Broncos scoring 13 unanswered points.
What Warner described were two types of offensive strategies for the quarterback. The coverage-based strategy asks the quarterback to see the gridiron as a whole, analyzing the movements of the defenders in order to throw the pass to the “man beater” or “zone beater.” Meanwhile, in pure progression, the quarterback constantly looks at his receivers and follows the designated route and play.
“I think a big part of the pure progression is coaches telling quarterbacks to see if their receiver is open. So, you come back, and you’re looking at your guy to determine, can I throw it to my guy in a coverage-based or full field type read offense, I’m coming back and looking at defenders, and those defenders will tell me if that guy is open or not,” Warner added. “Now, again, this is all speculation here, but when I watched Justin Herbert the last couple of weeks, drop back and threw the ball right to a defender like numerous times. Like, we’re all looking at these plays going, “What is he looking at?” Like, how could he not see that defender that’s right where he threw it?”
The architect of this mismatch is offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who has pushed Herbert away from his natural progression-read style. Warner’s comments are justified by how Herbert has been under pressure. Herbert has been sacked a total of 17 times so far, tying for second-most in the season. Not only that, but he also ranks 22th in the league with 937 passing yards.
But if that wasn’t enough, the Chargers QB also ties for the second-most interceptions thrown in the league, with seven. McDaniel has been obsessed with making changes to Herbert’s playing style ever since he took charge, starting with footwork adjustments for Herbert in the offseason. But five games into the season, it has been abysmal for both Herbert and the team.
“I think Mike is the greatest, and I want to make him proud and do everything I can to pick up the offense and do exactly what he asks,” Herbert said last week.
Both McDaniel and Herbert are still looking to find that link up going 0-5 in the season, but it may be too late for them, with the Chiefs looming on Sunday.
Amid the turnovers that Herbert has caused this season, being nine for the season, according to StatMuse, head coach Jim Harbaugh has defended Herbert, claiming the turnovers to be a response to “desperation” of getting something on the board.
“There are definitely times when he was trying to make a play, and too many times this season, there’s been that desperation time,” Harbaugh said. “That’s what I’d attribute that to. Doing anything and everything he can.”
Harbaugh also defended McDaniel as criticism rows over him, with many suggesting that his job is in jeopardy. Harbaugh, though, completely denied the idea of such a possibility.
A team that was supposed to fight for a Super Bowl or at least a playoff spot has been under scrutiny this season. The next game doesn’t make things easy for them either, as they will play the star quarterback Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, who are 4-0 in the league.
While the Chargers go through potentially their worst season since the Super Bowl era, Harbaugh and his team are keen to turn things around as soon as possible. Whether they can or can’t is something to see in the future.