With All of the Chargers’ Problems, Justin Herbert Needs to Be Part of the Solution

The Los Angeles Chargers have plenty of problems right now. The offense has struggled to find consistency, the offensive line has had issues, injuries have piled up and the special teams unit has been one of the worst in the NFL.

But at 0-4, it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate Justin Herbert from the Chargers’ problems.

Herbert needs to be part of the solution.

There is no question that Herbert has dealt with a difficult situation. The Chargers are missing key players, and the offensive line has not given him the consistency he needs. Mike McDaniel is also still trying to figure out how to get the most out of an offense that does not have the same type of speed he had available during his time in Miami.

Those are legitimate excuses.

However, Herbert has not played well enough either.

Through four games, Herbert has thrown for 816 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions. He has also been sacked 12 times. Against Seattle on Sunday, he threw two interceptions, was sacked four times and lost a fumble on a strip-sack late in the fourth quarter that essentially ended the Chargers’ comeback attempt.

That does not mean Herbert is the biggest problem on the team. He isn’t. There are plenty of things around him that need to be fixed.

But he is the quarterback who is supposed to make those problems easier to overcome.

The encouraging part is that Herbert showed exactly what the Chargers need from him in the fourth quarter against Seattle. Despite taking some big hits and dealing with pressure throughout the game, he continued to fight and helped give the Chargers a chance late. The offense finally showed some life and scored 20 points, its highest total of the season.

That version of Herbert needs to show up much earlier.

The Chargers cannot afford to spend the first three quarters trying to find an identity before finally turning Herbert loose when the game is almost out of reach. They need their franchise quarterback to be aggressive, confident and willing to take control of games from the beginning.

Some of that responsibility falls on McDaniel and the coaching staff. The scheme needs to put Herbert in better situations. The offensive line needs to protect him. The receivers need to make plays. The running game needs to become more consistent.

But Herbert also has to clean up the turnovers and make better decisions when things break down.

At 0-4, the Chargers are in a difficult position. The season is not technically over, but the margin for error is becoming extremely small, especially with Denver, Kansas City and Baltimore coming up.

If the Chargers are going to somehow turn this season around, everyone has to improve. That includes the coaching staff, the offensive line, the special teams and the defense.

It also includes Justin Herbert.

The Chargers paid Herbert to be the face of the franchise and the player who can elevate the team when things aren’t going perfectly. Right now, everything is far from perfect.

That is exactly when the Chargers need their quarterback to be at his best.