“Obviously, it didn’t go the way we wanted to, like I said at the end of the year. You got to move on. You got to take a look at what you did wrong. Be honest with yourself, be critical, but you can’t let it take up too much of your time.” With these words, Chargers QB Justin Herbert instilled confidence in his teammates and the fandom. He’s not thinking about the almost-but story of January’s playoff disaster. He’s not even thinking about the career-high four interceptions that made it happen. Herbert is looking ahead into the season with renewed vigor, and the general optimism that comes with the OTAs and minicamps. But is everything in order for the Chargers going into the new season with Justin Herbert? Everybody isn’t on the same page.

A first-rounder, Justin Herbert, came to the league the same year as Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa. As a backup behind Tyrod Taylor, Herbert quickly showed his first-round prowess the first chance he got. Plotting a sweet 4000+ yards and 31 TDs, he showed the league why he was a first-round rookie. But it’s been a long time since 2020, and in the last two seasons, his numbers have dropped considerably from the career best of 5014 yards back in 2021. And now, analysts don’t believe he falls under the category of best franchise-QB marriages.

As per a recent IG post by NFLonFox, NFL reporter Henry McKenna has done a deep dive into the 11 most iconic QB-Team marriages in the active rosters. Lamar Jackson leads the pack with the Ravens. While the Chiefs hold the spot no. 2 with Patrick Mahomes. While there are 9 more players that made the list, Justin Herbert, notably, did not make the cut. Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels, and Caleb Williams brought up the rear, and that was that. Justin Herbert’s 0-2 playoff record and his last playoff passer rating of 40.9 have a lot to do with it. But it’s not all on Herbert, though. Even before the 2024 season had started, a lot of analysts took the stance that the Chargers had failed their QB. Why? Well, it’s not just one reason, but multitudes of them.

Justin Herbert has the arm strength and athleticism to compete with the best of the QB class in the NFL. But a QB alone can’t win the Super Bowl. 

Despite having a potential top-5 QB, L.A. has repeatedly failed to build a stable infrastructure around him. He’s now learning his fourth offensive system in five years, this time under OC Greg Roman, whose run-heavy approach is a notable departure from the vertical passing attacks that best suit Herbert’s game. It’s also a stylistic pivot under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, who brings a physical, smashmouth identity but inherits a roster still in flux.

But how much freedom Herbert will have to run a more QB-centric offense remains to be seen. The roster, too, looks radically different. Keenan Allen was traded. The team cut Mike Williams shortly after due to cap concerns, then re-signed him on a one-year deal this offseason. Other veteran additions include RB Najee Harris and TE Tyler Conklin, while rookies WR Tre Harris and RB Omarion Hampton bring fresh upside.

The offense will have to gel quickly. But to every bad news, comes a hope for the best.

Winds of change for Justin Herbert’s Chargers?

As far as Justin Herbert is concerned, he’s using last year’s losses as fuel for the new season. Last year’s playoff loss marked the sixth year that the Chargers haven’t won a playoff. But Herbert had a whole season to absorb Jim Harbaugh’s plays, and he’s had 5 more months since that January loss to master it. The Chargers have also made significant additions to their offense this offseason to help their QB make more impressive plays. The draft additions of RB Omarion Hampton and WR Tre Harris come with a lot of optimism. There’s also the free agency additions of RB Najee Harris, TE Tyler Conklin, and WR Mike Williams that are boosting the offense this year. And as far as the coaching staff is concerned, Herbert is on the road to glory.

As OC Greg Roman put it recently, “He can go out and run the practice. He knows this offense inside and out now. Last year this time, it was third system in three years so that was a challenge I guess you would call it, which he conquered.” The OC believes all the pieces are in place for Herbert to lead the team, and possibly break the 6-year-old playoff curse. As for Jim Harbaugh, he strongly believes in the hard work Herbert is putting in for the new season. Harbaugh has notably said, “I know it motivates me every day to get up out of bed, like I gotta rise up to his level… He’s doing anything and everything he can possibly do. Now it’s up to the rest of us.”

The new offensive pieces are in place. And Justin Herbert is working with them to bring out the best of the Chargers’ plays. With his drive and Jim Harbaugh’s vote of confidence, it looks like Herbert is well on his way to mastering the playbooks. Do you think the Chargers can finally shake off their losing streak? Let us know your take on the comments below.