The Los Angeles Chargers walked off with an 11-5 record, but the night felt heavier than that. Their four-game surge was over. Worse, the loss quietly handed the AFC West crown to the Denver crew without them even playing. And in the City of Angels, quarterback Justin Herbert knew the fans deserved better.

In the post-game, the Chargers quarterback did not dodge the moment. Talking about the crowd, Herbert said, “I thought it was awesome. There were a lot of Chargers fans. Sorry, we didn’t get it done for them.” “We do have a lot of fans here in LA. It’s on us to be able to deliver and give them a performance worthy of their support.”

Unfortunately, the night unraveled fast.

C.J. Stroud shocked the Bolts early. On his first throw, he found Jayden Higgins for a 75-yard touchdown after coverage broke down. Soon after, Stroud had all day to launch a 43-yard score to Jaylin Noel, who was left alone. Suddenly, Space City was up 14-0.

That swing was jarring, especially considering recent form. The Bolts had given up only one touchdown pass over 40 yards across their previous 15 games. However, Houston flipped the script. Their defense then added pressure. They dropped Herbert for third-down sacks on the first two drives. As a result, three of the first four possessions ended quickly.

Still, chances came. Derwin James Jr. picked off Stroud in the second quarter. Yet the Bolts settled for a 27-yard Cameron Dicker field goal, making it 14-3. Another Stroud interception also went nowhere, even though both turnovers came deep in Houston territory. Meanwhile, Herbert had his own nightmare moment. A pass meant for Oronde Gadsden tipped up at the goal line. Azeez Al-Shaair grabbed it at the Houston 1 for his second pick of the season.

After that, frustration showed. Gadsden sat on the bench with his face buried in his hands. Just before halftime, Dicker missed from under 40 yards for the first time in his career, keeping the score at 14-3. Then late, after Omarion Hampton’s 5-yard touchdown cut it to 20-16, Dicker pushed the extra point wide left. It was his first miss of the season. And it summed up a night the Bolts want back. However, the head coach was full of praise for his quarterback.

Jim Harbaugh talks about Justin Herbert

Even in a loss, Justin Herbert never backed down. And in the post-game, Jim Harbaugh made his stance clear. Talking about his quarterback, the Chargers head coach said, “I think he’s the best there ever was.”

That praise came after Herbert went 21 of 32 for 236 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also added six rushes for 37 yards. Even the two fumbles did not derail him.

Still, the box score told a rough story. Herbert took five sacks as Houston’s defense kept collapsing the pocket. Yet he kept going. Then there was the injury scare.

According to Kris Rhim of ESPN.com, Herbert appeared to aggravate his left-hand issue after a first-half sack. Even so, he never left the field. He never called a trainer. He stayed in control. Meanwhile, the bigger picture slipped away. A win would have locked at least the No. 5 seed. Instead, the Bolts let that chance slide, making the finale even heavier.

Now, everything points to one last trip. Next up, the Bolts head to Denver to close the regular season. Broncos Country will be loud. The stakes will be clear. And once again, the spotlight will find Herbert.