The Massive Image: Justin Herbert is on an Andrew Luck Trajectory Because of Jim Harbaugh

[ad_1] It’s not you, it’s me.

That’s what Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh stated throughout the offseason when requested why star quarterback Justin Herbert hadn’t lived as much as lofty expectations. Harbaugh’s struggles to advance within the postseason in his first 12 months as head coach of the Chargers weren't with out an otherworldly quarterback.

It was as much as Herbert’s teammates to boost their degree of play, and Harbaugh boldly said his job was to get Herbert to the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.

Effectively, after one other unimpressive postseason exhibiting in a 16-3 AFC wild-card loss on the highway to the New England Patriots on Sunday, Harbaugh and Herbert fell woefully in need of that purpose, leaving the franchise once more at a crossroads heading into the offseason.

A broken-down and bruised Herbert confirmed grit by taking part in by way of a string of accidents this season, together with a fractured left hand in opposition to New England. The Chargers misplaced Professional Bowl bookend offensive tackles for the 12 months. Rashawn Slater suffered a torn patellar tendon in his knee throughout coaching camp earlier than the season even began. The Chargers moved proper deal with Joe Alt to left deal with to interchange Slater, and he suffered two high-ankle sprains, requiring season-ending surgical procedure to repair.

The Chargers went by way of 20 totally different offensive line mixtures throughout the season to try to patch issues up. That led to Herbert being hit 74 instances and pressured an NFL-high 268 instances throughout the common season. Predictably, the numbers have been even worse in opposition to the Patriots, as Herbert was sacked six instances and hit a playoff-high 11 instances within the loss.

Patriots SCARY after beating Chargers 😨 Truthful responsible Justin Herbert for the loss? From a personnel standpoint, Harbaugh and common supervisor Joe Hortiz appeared to have performed every part of their energy to construct the staff round Herbert. They added a proficient operating again in Najee Harris and a bruising offensive guard in Mekhi Becton in free company. Harris suffered an eye fixed harm in a freak fireworks accident and as soon as he recovered, was misplaced for the season after tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 3. Becton performed by way of a knee harm many of the season, lacking two video games, but additionally had his justifiable share of struggles as he graded out as Professional Soccer Focus' third-worst guard this season.

5 of the 9 gamers the Chargers chosen within the 2025 NFL Draft have been on offense, together with first-round choose Omarion Hampton. Nevertheless, the rookie operating again suffered an ankle harm that compelled him to overlook eight video games and was not a big contributor within the loss to the Patriots.

The Chargers additionally introduced again Herbert’s safety blankets in Mike Williams — who promptly retired days after his signing throughout coaching camp — and Keenan Allen, who led the Chargers in receptions throughout the common season.

Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter constructed top-of-the-line defenses within the league for a second straight season.

Harbaugh appeared to have performed every part in his energy to assist Herbert and the Chargers attain their full potential, however they skilled the identical predictable outcomes. And it seems Herbert is now on the identical monitor as one other cerebral quarterback from a West Coast college in Andrew Luck.

Luck, who the Colts took with the primary general choose within the 2012 NFL Draft, completed 53-33 in seven seasons earlier than a deluge of accidents compelled him to finish his NFL profession early and begin the second chapter of his life. At simply 36 years previous, Luck now serves as the final supervisor for Stanford’s soccer staff and is seven years faraway from his last NFL snap.

Andrew Luck, 36, is coming into his second season as Stanford's common supervisor and is seven seasons faraway from when he ended his once-promising NFL profession. (Photograph by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photos)

Herbert, who's nearing the identical variety of seasons Luck performed within the NFL, is six seasons into his profession with a 52-43 file and is 0-3 within the postseason.

The Chargers have a historical past of underperforming with elite quarterbacks, together with Corridor of Famer Dan Fouts and Philip Rivers, who just lately returned to the sphere as a 44-year-old grandpa for Indianapolis. Neither of these gamers reached a Tremendous Bowl throughout their tenure with the staff.

Nevertheless, Herbert is extra bodily proficient than each of these gamers, and his trajectory is extra pointed towards Buffalo Payments star Josh Allen than Luck or any of the previous elite sign callers of this franchise. And it stays as much as Harbaugh — together with continued progress and improvement from Herbert — to get him throughout the end line.

Herbert and the Chargers, although, are nonetheless trying to find the reply to achieve the following step.

"I don’t know, we haven’t figured it out but," Herbert advised reporters when requested after the sport about his confidence in getting over the hump within the playoffs. "It hasn’t occurred, so we’ll must re-evaluate and see what occurs."

The Chargers have over $100 million in projected cap area heading into the offseason and are anticipated to have essentially the most cap area of any staff, per Over The Cap. That ought to assist. However together with new additions to the roster, Harbaugh should take a detailed have a look at offensive coordinator Greg Roman to see if the Chargers are getting essentially the most schematically out of Herbert.

This remark from New England linebacker Robert Spillane after the sport doesn’t assist Roman’s trigger.

"After the sport, speaking to a couple of the fellows on the opposite staff, that they had no clue what we have been doing," Spillane advised reporters. "They got here up and stated that we had no clue what you guys have been in all sport."

Bekton added gasoline to the fireplace on Monday, seemingly throwing Roman beneath the bus when he was requested about his consolation degree working in Roman's system.

"It’s loads of various things I’m not used to," Bekton advised reporters of Roman's offense on Monday.

Greg Roman (heart) has been the offensive coordinator for Jim Harbaugh's offenses throughout each of his NFL head teaching tenures. However it would possibly time for Harbaugh to make the powerful name to maneuver on from him. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Occasions by way of Getty Photos)

A Tremendous Bowl-winning head coach ripped into the Chargers' safety scheme in a remark to The Athletic, saying, "I watch what they do, and they do not know who to dam. They set deep. That poor quarterback is getting killed. They simply don't appear like they know what the hell is occurring."

The Chargers additionally should as soon as once more take a complete strategy to the staff’s preventative upkeep and restoration program to determine why so many gamers proceed to get injured.

However regardless of the modifications, at 27 years previous, Herbert stays the closest factor the Chargers must Allen. Like Buffalo, Harbaugh’s Bolts have to be affected person and proceed to construct across the staff’s prized asset.

"Like I advised the staff, those who keep might be champions," Harbaugh advised reporters after the sport. "I’m not taking a look at this as an finish, however as one other starting."

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, overlaying the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Observe him on X at @eric_d_williams.

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