Fox Sports columnist questions Herbert’s standing after Chargers fall to 0–2
Ralph Vacchiano says Justin Herbert has failed to elevate the Los Angeles Chargers after a 26–14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Justin Herbert’s standing as an elite quarterback has come under renewed scrutiny after the Los Angeles Chargers fell to 0–2 with a 26–14 home loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Writing for Fox Sports, columnist Ralph Vacchiano described Herbert as a good but not elite quarterback and argued that he is now holding back the Chargers. The assessment remains Vacchiano’s opinion, with the column also noting problems on the offensive line and dropped passes.
Herbert completed 15 of 27 passes for 192 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Vacchiano said he was outplayed by Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins, after making a similar assessment of Herbert’s performance against Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett in Week 1.
The criticism comes in Herbert’s sixth NFL season. According to the Fox Sports column, the 28-year-old has reached 25,000 career passing yards at a record pace but has an 0–3 playoff record.
The Chargers had been viewed as a dark-horse Super Bowl contender after coach Jim Harbaugh brought in Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator. Vacchiano argues that the move has not produced the expected improvement and questions whether Herbert can meet the expectations placed on him.
