Justin Herbert hasn’t forgotten that day.
On January 11, 2025, he and the Chargers headed into their playoff game against the Texans filled with hope, having secured the No. 5 seed in the AFC. Instead of a triumph, though, that day saw them leaving NRG Stadium with a crushing 32-12 defeat, marking the end of their season. It was a quick shift from anticipation to disappointment.
However, it wasn’t just the loss that lingered in Herbert’s mind; it was the manner of the defeat.
In what he described as the worst game of his career, Herbert threw an astonishing four interceptions, faced four sacks, completed only 43.8 percent of his passes, and finished with a passer rating of just 40.9—the lowest in his career.
“I let the team down,” he reflected post-game. “You can’t give the ball away like that and expect to win. Four turnovers put us in a really difficult position.”
A year later, Herbert has another shot at that elusive playoff victory when the Chargers face the Patriots this Sunday. Kickoff is at 5 PM PT, airing on NBC/Peacock.
“It’s one of those things that sticks with you,” Herbert mentioned to reporters in December. “No one felt worse than I did after that game. I think it’s crucial to acknowledge that it happened, but also to move on. It’s just bizarre to be in a place where I feel like denying it won’t help things.”
The previous season had been quite something for Herbert and the Chargers; they ended up with an 11-6 record, landing the No. 7 seed in the AFC.
This season, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt—recognized for their exceptional tackling—never had the chance to play together. Slater suffered a serious patella tendon injury during training camp and had surgery afterward. Alt’s season was cut short by a right ankle injury that worsened following a late-season win against Tennessee.
Herbert, with two Pro Bowl qualifications that year, spent much of the time behind a makeshift offensive line, ranked among the league’s worst.
As they approached a Week 18 match against the Broncos, where the Chargers sat most of their starters, the offensive line was dead last in pass block win percentage and near the bottom in run block win percentage. They had cycled through 29 offensive line combinations, one of the highest numbers in the NFL.
Despite all this, Herbert still managed to throw for 3,727 yards and 26 touchdowns—numbers that placed him in the top 10. He also recorded a career-high of 83 rushing attempts, racking up 498 yards and averaging 6.0 yards per carry.
