Chargers fans can simply brush off bold Justin Herbert-C.J. Stroud comparisons

Heading into 2026, the Los Angeles Chargers have a lot to prove, both to themselves and to the NFL at large.

While they've posted back-to-back 11 win seasons in the Jim Harbaugh era, they haven't been particularly close to a playoff victory. They were decimated by the Houston Texans defense in their 2024 Wild Card Round matchup, with Herbert throwing four interceptions and completing just 14 of his 32 passes in that game. While Herbert didn't have the same turnover issues, the offense looked even more stagnant in their recent playoff matchup with the New England Patriots, posting only three points in what was a distinctly winnable game for Los Angeles.

Because of these failures, there are certain sectors of NFL discourse that refuse to view Herbert as an elite quarterback. Texans expert Clayton Anderson, speaking on the We Want Houston podcast, took a distinctly different route, though. He used Herbert's failures as an angle to argue for why C.J. Stroud has been over-hated for his personal playoff shortcomings.

While Anderson certainly has a point, especially in terms of the disrespect Stroud has received, there's a central factor to be highlighted here. Ask yourself who you would honestly prefer for a deep playoff run— Herbert or Stroud?

Justin Herbert hasn't proved himself as an elite playoff quarterback, but his skill-set is undeniable

Herbert's regular season résumé, for the most part, speaks for itself. Although his passing production dropped heavily under Greg Roman's scheme, Herbert's ability to extend plays, and to respond to nearly insurmountable pressure in the backfield, is the only reason the offense was able to achieve any success last season. Despite facing an absurd sack percentage of 9.54, Herbert still managed to post 3,727 passing yards and 26 touchdowns across 16 games last season.

While Stroud played two fewer games than Herbert last season, his production doesn't quite match Herbert's pace even if projected across the full slate. Stroud posted just 3,041 passing yards and 19 touchdowns (to eight interceptions) while facing a (relatively pedestrian) sack percentage of 5.16.

Moreover, eight of Herbert's interceptions in 2025 came on non-turnover worthy plays, per Pro Football Focus. Herbert, meanwhile, posted a 90.1 PFF grade when the pocket was kept clean in 2025. Stroud posted a grade of 79.0.

The comparison in terms of playoff meltdowns is fair. It's not necessary to defend Herbert's 2024 performance to draw a clear line between him and Stroud, however.

While Stroud didn't throw an interception in this year's Wild Card Round matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, that game was won by the Texans defense. Stroud fumbled five times, and he then threw four interceptions in their matchup with the New England Patriots. While Herbert overcame abysmal protection to the best of his ability this season,

If anything, the takeaway from this is that both Herbert and Stroud have been unfairly assessed as a result of their playoff performances. Neither quarterback has had a strong offensive line in front of them in either of the past two seasons, and that's the point that Anderson is ultimately making.

But in terms of poise, downfield talent, and overall explosive-play potential, Herbert is who most fans across the league would pick to lead their team on a playoff run. Any comparisons surrounding one playoff performance can't erase that fact.

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