LA Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston put together one of the most disappointing rookie seasons of any first-round pick in 2023. Johnston failed to contribute much to the Chargers' offense and even lost a game for the Chargers with a consequential drop against the Green Bay Packers.
Johnston responded to his poor rookie season in a positive way to kickstart the 2024 campaign. A two-touchdown game against the Carolina Panthers highlighted what appeared to be a corner-turning moment for the former TCU wideout.
However, on Monday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12, Johnston reminded every Chargers fan why they cannot trust him. Johnston dropped perhaps the most catchable pass of all- time on third down with the Chargers trailing by seven in the fourth quarter.
The play would have resulted in a first down and much more for the Bolts. Instead, the Chargers were forced to punt, leading to the Ravens driving down the field to make it a 14-point game. What a swing.
Quentin Johnston with a BRUTAL drop pic.twitter.com/ekoGBWmn1d
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) November 26, 2024
The Chargers never recovered after Quentin Johnston's drop
The Ravens outplayed the Chargers on Monday night and to say that one Johnston drop was the reason why would be disingenuous. Baltimore did practically anything it wanted on the offensive end while the Chargers could not score a touchdown after the first drive of the game.
However, the Johnston drop did represent a moment in the game when Chargers fans knew it was over. The team was still only down seve when it happened, and certainly had a chance to win, but you could feel the energy of the entire fanbase get sucked out of the building.
The Chargers had to play a perfect game to beat the Ravens on Monday. Baltimore threw the entire kitchen sink at Los Angeles (including a fourth-down attempt from the team's own 18-yard-line that converted). The Ravens forced the Chargers to be perfect, and they weren't.
Johnston's drop was a microcosm of the rest of the game. It was the perfect representation and metaphor for the rest of the game. Los Angeles played a sloppy game. Baltimore was the better team. Plain and simple.
And for what its worth, Johnston dropped another pass on the Chargers' last drive of the game. That drop was not as consequential, but it only feeds into the narratives.
Unfortunately for Johnston, this drop is enough to reignite the narratives. And as long as he keeps making key drops in big spots, those narratives will not go away.