The LA Chargers lost an ugly game in Week 11 that essentially ended the team's playoff hopes. While the Chargers are not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention yet, it is very hard to see this team digging out of a 4-6 hole.
A lot of the blame was put on Brandon Staley and his defense even though the Packers only scored 23 points. Staley's defense was unable to get a stop despite having a third and 20 late in the fourth quarter. Jordan Love also had the best game passing of his career, which has unfortunately become a trend with this defense.
Staley did not agree with the feedback and got fired up in his post-game press conference because of it. In that post-game press conference, Staley made sure to iterate that the Chargers didn't just lose because of the defense. He was not shy in throwing blame around, which included specifically bringing up Austin Ekeler's fumble in the red zone.
On a recent appearance on 'The Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz', Ekeler addressed Staley's post-game press conference and defended his head coach. If that was not enough to enrage Chargers fans who are upset with Staley, Ekeler definitely earned some outrage when he served Justin Herbert some of the blame pie for losing against the Packers.
Ekeler on Rex Ryan's comments: "They're just trying to get clicks."
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) November 23, 2023
On Staley: "I think he's almost taking too much of the blame. It's my fault, it's Herbert's fault, it's Quentin Johnston, it's me fumbling the ball...Staley is not out there making the plays, we have to make the…
Chargers fans are outraged as Austin Ekeler loops Justin Herbert into the blame for Packers loss
If you were to ask Justin Herbert if he was to blame for the loss to the Packers he would 100% say yes. That is the kind of leader that Herbert is and he has publicly taken blame for games that absolutely are not his fault.
That is not to say that Herbert is perfect because he has turned in sub-par performances this season. If Herbert has just an average game for his standards against the Dallas Cowboys then the Chargers probably win that game. The game against the Packers was not one of those cases.
Herbert put together one of the most impressive games of his career despite the final score. While Pro Football Focus grades are not a great measuring stick, it is important to mention that Herbert received the highest PFF grade of his career for Week 11. Herbert was lights out, and anyone watching the game saw that.
The Chargers quarterback was held back by costly drops and a running game that literally could not do anything outside of one big run. The final numbers seem decent enough as Ekeler averaged 6.4 yards per carry but that was with one big run. Outside of his 37-yard carry, Ekeler averaged three yards per carry. That is not sustainable.
Plus, Herbert literally led the team in rushing. He picked up 73 yards on eight scrambles while completing 21 of 36 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns. If Keenan Allen and Quentin Johnston don't drop passes, Herbert would have thrown for over 300 yards with four touchdowns.
But sure, let's loop Herbert into the blame when he was literally the last person who deserved any blame for the loss to the Packers.