HOUSTON — In a surprising turn of events during Saturday’s playoff game, Justin Herbert, who had only thrown three interceptions throughout the regular season, exceeded that number significantly. The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback recorded four interceptions against the Houston Texans, one of which was taken back for a touchdown, ultimately contributing to the Chargers’ 32-12 defeat.
“I let the team down,” Herbert admitted post-game. “Turning the ball over like that makes winning nearly impossible. I really placed the team in a difficult situation with those four turnovers.”
Prior to this game, Herbert had never thrown more than two interceptions in any match, facing a Texans secondary that was boosted by All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley, who picked Herbert off twice. Eric Murray scored his first career touchdown with a 38-yard interception return towards the end of the third quarter, while rookie Kamari Lassiter contributed the other interception.
When questioned about what went wrong, Herbert took full responsibility. “It’s on me to protect the ball better,” he stated. “Being aggressive downfield is part of the game, but I need to improve on getting rid of the ball, throwing it away, or ensuring better placement. Ultimately, it’s my fault.”
The Chargers, finishing the season at 11-7 and returning to the playoffs under new coach Jim Harbaugh, faced disappointment once more, losing in the wild-card round for a second consecutive year. This defeat means they have not secured a postseason victory since 2018.
Historically, quarterbacks who have thrown four or more interceptions in regular-season games hold a troubling 55-551-2 record, while the playoff record stands at 3-33.
The Texans managed to keep Herbert under constant pressure, sacking him four times and hitting him another nine. “He needs to be able to finish his throwing motion,” Harbaugh remarked. “A quarterback has to do that; we need to position him better for success.” He added that the pressure created by Houston’s Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter was among the most effective he had witnessed this season.
While Herbert completed 14 of 32 passes for 242 yards, he ended the game with a passer rating of only 40.9. The Chargers struggled to establish a ground game, finishing with just 50 rushing yards, their second-lowest output of the season, which exacerbated the challenges Herbert faced.
In a pivotal moment early in the third quarter, the Texans led 10-6 when the Chargers took possession of the ball following a fumble by Joe Mixon. Opting for a pass instead of a run on a crucial fourth-and-2 play, Quentin Johnson was stopped short of the first down by Stingley, giving the Texans favorable field position. Harbaugh indicated that the play design might not have been optimal, stating, “Sometimes coverage affects the release. Given another chance, I’d prefer to call a different play or even go for a field goal.”
Despite Herbert’s struggles, Harbaugh, who previously celebrated a national championship with Michigan in Houston last January, expressed accountability for the team’s loss. “They were simply the better team today,” he acknowledged. “I take full responsibility for not leading the team to success; this one falls on me.”
