Justin Herbert was already one of the most controversial quarterbacks in the NFL before the season began. His doubters have raised their voices after the Los Angeles Chargers' horrific start to the year. With another disappointing performance behind him, even Jim Harbaugh called Herbert out.
Harbaugh doesn't criticize his quarterback often. He's been singing Herbert's praises since he arrived. But his words for his struggling quarterback were simple after the Week 3 loss. "Be better," Harbaugh said. The head coach extended that challenge to himself, Mike McDaniel, and the rest of the team.
But just how much better does Herbert really need to be? Is he truly at fault for the Chargers' rocky start to the season, or do the problems lie in the structure around him? We tried to get to the bottom of it by grading Herbert through the first three games of the year.
Justin Herbert isn't entirely at fault for Chargers' brutal start, but he's not innocent
The stats are not kind to Herbert. Among 38 qualifying quarterbacks, he ranks 32nd in EPA per play, 31st in success rate, 30th in completion rate, and 29th in on-target rate. The four interceptions and three fumbles don't help his case, either.
Herbert seems to have struggled to adjust to Mike McDaniel's offense. The scheme is based heavily on anticipating open receivers, putting the ball in open space before the pass-catcher breaks free. That anticipation was Tua Tagovailoa's best attribute, and he played the best football of his career under McDaniel with the Miami Dolphins.
At least so far, Herbert is either not trusting his receivers to get open, or he's unsure where those openings are supposed to come. He isn't in control of the offense.
There's no doubt that Herbert has the physical talent to be a productive quarterback. His arm is still elite when it comes to accessing all areas of the field. But that only matters if he can command the offense enough to put that arm talent to use.
Unfortunately, this problem isn't entirely new. Even in 2025, Herbert was an average quarterback at best. He often failed to take advantage of easy opportunities and missed far too many throws.
The interior of the offensive line hasn't supported Herbert particularly well this season. The running game hasn't been as efficient as it could be. Harbaugh has made a few questionable decisions. Even the receivers have made multiple mistakes early in the season. To say that Herbert's struggles are the only thing holding the offense back would be an overstatement.
Still, most of the blame has to rest on his shoulders. If he doesn't turn things around quickly, this season will be over early for the Chargers.
Justin Herbert's final grade: D+
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