Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers have wasted another season
Justin Herbert is out for the remainder of the season after the Los Angeles Chargers quarterback had surgery on his right index finger this week. That's likely the final blow to a pathetic performance from a stacked roster as the team will almost certainly miss the playoffs for the third time in his four seasons while his talent continues to be wasted.
Kellen Moore was hired as the new offensive coordinator in the offseason after head coach Brandon Staley was kept around after the collapse to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a 2022 wild-card game.
Staley's defense was utterly crushed by Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins in a 36-34 Week 1 loss, and this pattern repeated itself.
The turning point in the season was the 41-38 loss to the Detroit Lions at home. The Chargers entered the game at 4-4, and a win would have given them a chance at putting their bad start to bed and making the playoffs. However, the defense let Jared Goff march the field for a game-winning field as the Chargers (5-8) have gone 1-4 in their last five games.
Justin Herbert has had a relatively good year despite all the chaos. He has thrown 20 touchdowns to seven interceptions, but as he had in the past, Herbert did not deliver late in games, and multiple games went the other way.
Wide receiver Keenan Allen has 1,243 yards and 108 catches in the best season of his esteemed career. And linebacker Khali Mack has 15 sacks, six of which came in one game.
For all this talent the Chargers have, the team is already thinking about 2024. Justin Herbert has incredible arm talent, but he's rotting away for the Chargers. He's heading towards a Philip Rivers career and not catching up to Patrick Mahomes in the AFC West.
Will things get better for Justin Herbert and the Chargers in 2024?
Brandon Staley, who is 24-23, likely will get fired either before the season ends or in the offseason. He has had some media outbursts this season and has continued to be aggressive on fourth down to not much avail yet again. The Chargers suffered one of the most embarrassing playoff losses ever in 2022 in Herbert's first career playoff game.
The status of running back Austin Ekeler could prove to be pivotal to how the Chargers' 2024 turns out. Ekeler may not be a dangerous runner, but his receiving ability more than makes up for that. He has 1,713 yards receiving and 30 touchdowns rushing in the last three years.
Keenan Allen is still under contract for 2024 and will remain Herbert's main target, but more is needed from 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston. His drop against Green Bay prevented the Chargers from getting to 5-5. The play summed up the season for the rookie. While the rest of the 2023 first-round receivers have shown up, Johnston only has 333 yards.
If the Chargers give Justin Herbert the supporting cast he needs, the team will always have a chance.