After another disappointing playoff performance from Justin Herbert and the LA Chargers, one thing was clear: something had to change. The blame was passed around by fans amongst offensive coordinator Greg Roman, the offensive line, and even Herbert himself. The truth is, all three parties had a major role in the grueling loss to the New England Patriots in one way or another.
Luckily, the first step towards change was made when the Chargers fired Roman and offensive line coach Mike Delvin. With former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel choosing to come to sunny California as the new offensive coordinator of the Chargers, one part of the puzzle is in place.
Next, the offensive line needs to get healthy and bolstered through the draft and free agency. Once that step is complete, everything else falls on Justin Herbert's shoulders.
Mike McDaniel was the best-case scenario for Justin Herbert
While McDaniel's tenure with the Dolphins may not have ended as he hoped, it is clear he is one of the best offensive minds in the NFL. McDaniel is a true dream hire for the Chargers, especially after dealing with an offense under Greg Roman that clearly did not work for anyone.
McDaniel runs a Shanahan-style offense, which is vastly different from Greg Roman's simple smash-mouth football scheme. He was able to find success with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, so if Herbert shows up in the form fans know he can, this pairing would be the perfect match.
In 2023, McDaniel led the Dolphins to the No. 1-ranked offense in yardage and No. 2 in points per game behind the Dallas Cowboys. While that sort of season was never seen again in Miami, he should be able to revive that production in some form with Justin Herbert, and the Chargers would be well-positioned for a deep playoff run.
There are no excuses left for Justin Herbert
Justin Herbert is an elite quarterback talent. Most Chargers fans will not deny that. However, his struggles in the playoffs have become more than a coincidence. Yes, both the play calling and offensive line were atrocious in the Wild Card loss to the Patriots, but Herbert did nothing to elevate the team as he did all year long.
After the loss of Joe Alt and having lost Rashawn Slater before the season started, the offensive line was never even mediocre. But during the regular season, Herbert was able to overcome that fact.
The NFL world's gripe with Herbert is that all that unfathomable talent from the regular season goes into hiding on the big stage. Herbert is a lot better quarterback than what has been shown in his three playoff appearances. He just needs to show the world what we already know.
Going into 2026, there are no excuses left for Justin Herbert. With the addition of Mike McDaniel and a healthy offensive line, Herbert should be more than capable of lifting this team to new heights in the postseason. Next year, if Herbert cannot get it done around this time, there are going to be some really uncomfortable conversations to be had.