All Ball Sports: Chargers crushed, Herbert blamed, Harbaugh humbled
by Paul Teetor
Justin Herbert threw just three interceptions in 17 regular season games. It was an incredibly efficient season for the All-Pro quarterback and a big reason for the Chargers turnaround from last season’s 5-12 record to this year’s 11-6 record.
Then he threw four interceptions in the Chargers first-round playoff game Saturday afternoon. It was the first four-interception game of his five-year career and led directly to the Houston Texan’s 32-12 victory on their home field.
But let’s get one thing straight: at least two of Herbert’s four interceptions Saturday were the direct fault of the receiver, not the great Chargers quarterback.
Twice the ball ricocheted off the receiver’s hands right to the cornerback. In one case safety Eric Murray ran the interception back for a pick-six – the first time that had ever happened in Herbert’s career. Adding insult to injury, Herbert had a chance to tackle Murray on his way to the end zone but he whiffed as Murray gave him a swivel-hip fake and blew right by him.
That giant thudding sound you just heard is the Chargers bandwagon skidding straight into a ditch bigger than the 405. The game that all the experts were calling an upset special turned out to be just another Charger playoff loss that undid much of the progress and optimism generated by the team’s stellar season, by new coach Jim Harbaugh and especially by the belief that Herbert’s individual greatness was about to spread to the entire team.
But in the end the Chargers couldn’t run, couldn’t pass, and they couldn’t stop Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud, a native of Rancho Cucamonga, from destroying their Super Bowl dreams.
The good news, if you could call it that: this was nothing like the Chargers last playoff game back in 2023, when Herbert passed them to a 27-0 lead over the Jacksonville Jaguars and then watched helplessly as the Jags roared back to grab a 31-30 victory – a game that ultimately led to coach Brandon Staley being fired the next season.
This one was a dog-fight until late in the game. Harbaugh called Houston’s defense “scary good,” but his own defense was equally suffocating as both teams generated very little offense in the first half. Houston led 10-6 at halftime, but only because of a fluky play that was definitely lucky and just as easily could have fired up the Chargers if the football had bounced differently.
It started when the Texans were pinned back on their own 1-yard line. Stroud fumbled the snap from center and the football bounced on the ground and right back into Stroud’s hands instead of being scooped up by the onrushing Charger defenders for a gift touchdown. Then Stroud took the football and threw a 34-yard dart across his body – a very difficult throw — to wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson for the biggest gain of the first half by either team.
That broken play was part of a 13-play, 99-yard drive that culminated in a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nico Collins that gave the Texans a lead they never relinquished.
But Herbert and the Chargers kept fighting and almost got back in the game in the fourth quarter. On a third-and-26 play, Herbert hit Chargers rookie Ladd McConkey for an 86-yard touchdown pass that gave Chargers fans momentary hope of a miracle comeback as they lead cut to 23-12 with more than ten minutes left in the game.
But the Chargers kicker, Cameron Dicker, had his point-after kick blocked to keep the lead at 11. Then, instead of jumping on the loose ball to end the play, Dicker batted it to the ground with two hands. Houston cornerback D’Angelo Ross jumped on it and ran it all the way to the other end zone for two points.
Ball game.
After the game Harbaugh showed why his players respect and trust him: he took all the blame for the unexpected loss.
“That’s on me,” he said. “All facets.”
Harbaugh didn’t blame practice adjustments made because of the wildfires around Los Angeles County that fouled the air at their El Segundo practice facility. He said the Chargers had plenty of time to prepare, but he accepted the blame for their poor showing.
Herbert did too.
“Obviously, it was not good enough by any standards,” Herbert said after completing 14 of 32 passes for 242 yards with one touchdown while falling to 0-2 in his only two postseason games. “I put the team in jeopardy, in a tough position with all those turnovers.”
McConkey caught nine passes for an NFL rookie playoff record of 197 yards. But no one else had more than two catches.
J.K. Dobbins rushed nine times for 26 yards and Gus Edwards gained 22 yards on seven carries as the Chargers’ ground game ground to a halt, especially in the second half and they attempted to rely on Herbert’s strong right arm to rally them from a 10-6 deficit at halftime.
“I’m more disappointed for this team, just knowing what we wanted to accomplish,” Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack said. “All in all, you can talk about the grit, the attitude, we fought, that’s all you can really ask for. I can’t make this about myself. Even though, selfishly, you feel like, damn, this was the one.”
He’s right. This was a great opportunity for Herbert, Harbaugh and company to establish once and for all that the old Chargers curse is gone and a new day has arrived.
Now they have to start all over.
Rams Dominate Vikings
While the Chargers opened the wild-card round of the playoffs by losing to a team they were favored to beat, the Rams did just the opposite: they dominated a Minnesota Vikings team that was heavily favored to beat them.
To make the 27-9 upset victory even sweeter for Rams fans, the game was moved from So-Fi Stadium to Glendale, Arizona because of the LA fires.
That should have negated the home-field advantage, as the Rams were now forced to play an away game that was supposed to be a home game for them. Instead, they took the opening kickoff, marched down the field behind quarterback Matthew Stafford’s pin-point passing, and scored on a 5-yard pass to Kyren Williams that gave them a 7-0 lead they never relinquished.
Indeed, the story of this game boiled down to a great performance by Stafford and an awful performance by Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. The former USC star was sacked nine times, held the ball too long too many times, and gave up a back-breaking fumble that was turned into a quick touchdown by sensational Rams rookie defensive lineman Jared Verse – a lock to be named the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year.
By the fourth quarter the stunned Vikings appeared to just give up and stopped competing, while the Rams were exultant and dominating.
The Rams will now play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. If they win that game they will play in the NFC championship game.
After that: the Super Bowl.
Costa, Redondo on Collision Course for Epic game
The Mira Costa boys basketball team and the Redondo team are headed for an epic showdown Friday night at Costa. It will be the game of the year – so far.
The Mustangs come into the game with a 19-1 record while Redondo, which has played a tougher schedule than Costa, comes in with an 18-2 record.
The two teams are tied for first place in the Bay League, and the game between the archrivals could determine the eventual champion, although the Mustangs and Sea Hawks will clash again in the final game of the regular season. Whoever loses Friday night’s game will have a chance to avenge the loss in that final game before the playoffs. Redondo, which won the Bay League last year, is favored to win this game.
Contact: teetor.paul@gmail.com