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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert couldn’t get it done during his team’s shocking Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
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That’s an oversimplification, of course. It’s panic-time mode for the Chargers for many reasons. Jim Harbaugh can’t explain the guard rotation that slowed things down. Mike McDaniels’ scheme flopped. There was even a big injury concern for Ladd McConkey.
But none of that matters: The star quarterback is supposed to go out and win these games. Herbert didn’t, and the magnifying glass on his career body of work just keeps on driving narratives.
It’s Time for Uncomfortable Justin Herbert Conversations
Point blank: Herbert needs to do more to beat the narratives and find success.
Even a year ago, Chargers fans could stand on solid ground and defend him against an army. This was the guy who walked into Arrowhead with Bradley Bozeman in front of him and Greg Roman calling his offense and emerged a victor. He’s the guy who, among other things, gutted out tough games days after hand surgery last year.
So far this season? Herbert walked into his home stadium hyped as a Super Bowl contender with McDaniel backing him and lost a matchup with Jacoby Brissett and a Cardinals team expected to be in the running for the No. 1 pick next year.
Not ideal.
Yes, the offensive line was bad. But on Herbert’s lone interception of the day, he scrambled and chucked it downfield to a 5’8″ Derius Davis blanketed in double coverage. The Chargers were down nine points at the time without about 10 minutes left in the game:
Justin Herbert in his first game with OC Mike McDaniel:
17-of-27
209 passing yards
1 TD, 1 INTpic.twitter.com/R6PbaD3qxchttps://t.co/cVwBGsFgPa
– Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 13, 2026
There’s just no defending it.
As such, the floodgates are wide open now:
“If Justin Herbert does not take the next step, we need to have the real conversation: Does [he] belong in this franchise quarterback conversation?”
-Ran Carthon after Justin Herbert’s subpar game against the Cardinals pic.twitter.com/6LmqGFTsgr
– NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) September 13, 2026
Not to enter the QB discourse, but I don’t really get the Justin Herbert thing. The dude has never won a playoff game! Advanced stats suggest a slightly-above-average starter.
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– Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) September 13, 2026
Justin Herbert might legitimately be the greatest QB to ever touch a football if he just had:
– A top offensive line
– The best weapons in football
– A top-tier defense
– Andy Reid calling the shots
– Madison Beer keeping him energized on the sidelines
– World hunger completely… pic.twitter.com/THf8SMDbeY
– Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) September 14, 2026
Questioning whether Herbert is a franchise quarterback is dumbfounding, of course. The majority of the league would trade for him in a heartbeat. But these are the type of national takes Herbert has left himself exposed to, which then drives the majority option of those who don’t even turn into Chargers games.
Chargers fans know all too well what within the organization has held Herbert back for years, be it coaching, a poor front office, etc. But when the national lens is pulling up the resume with zero playoff wins after a showing like this Week 1 flop, it’s hard to fight back with any real bite.
The best Chargers fans can hope for is that this is a Week 1 blip. That Herbert’s decision-making in live action was a hair staggered in a new offense and that things will, as a whole, iron out for the better in the coming weeks.
But this isn’t a case of “the only way to go is up” for the Herbert conversation. And it’s on him to fix it.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/chargers/onsi as Fair, Uncomfortable Justin Herbert Conversations Are Starting.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 11:00 AM.