Jim Harbaugh Had Confident Two-Word Review of Justin Herbert After Rough Game

Making his second career playoff start, Justin Herbert put in a game he and the Los Angeles Chargers will likely want to forget as soon as possible. Herbert and the Chargers were overwhelmed by the Houston Texans' defense all afternoon, resulting in a disappointing 32-12 loss in the first game of wild-card weekend on Saturday.

The Chargers got off to an early 6-0 lead, but the offense's struggles were foreshadowed early on as they failed to punch the ball into the end zone. Their issues exploded in the second half, when Herbert tossed three interceptions, including a pick-six to Eric Murray.

Not all of the interceptions were Herbert's fault. One interception was tipped off the hands of tight end Will Dissly, but overall, Herbert played far below his capability. His four interceptions on the afternoon were more than he threw the entire season, and his 43.8 percent completion rate was the third-lowest in a playoff game in franchise history.

Justin Herbert finished 14-32 (43.8%), the worst completion percentage in a playoff game by a Charger since Philip Rivers in 2006, and tied for 3rd worst in franchise history (min. 20 att).
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) January 12, 2025

Despite the rough game, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh's confidence has not wavered in his quarterback. After the game, Harbaugh called Herbert a "complete beast" as a review for how he played in the game.

Harbaugh has been Herbert's biggest fan since becoming the team's head coach. He regularly gives high praise to Herbert, and encourages him pre-game by patting Herbert's shoulders to get him pumped up for game time. Today, Harbaugh emphasized that Herbert needed time to complete his throwing motion. Herbert was under duress at various points of the game, taking four sacks.

Herbert himself took the blame after the loss. "It's tough, I let the team down," he said.

"I put the team into jeopardy," Herbert told the media. "Tough position with all those turnovers."

A successful first season under Harbaugh ultimately ends sooner than it could have, but this game should prioritize the need to add help offensively so Herbert can soon earn his first playoff win.