Can Justin Herbert Finally Make The Postseason?

By Andy Davies

Entering his third season in the NFL, 2022 is a pivotal year for Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers. With plenty of offseason additions, Andy Davies explains why now is the time for the exciting young quarterback to lead his team to the playoffs:

The Wild Wild AFC West

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert begins his third season in the NFL, with the 2022 regular season less than two months away. 

It has been arguably the best ever offseason, with a vast amount of offseason moves. The Chargers were certainly involved in the action, with the additions of Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson.

The Chargers are not the only team in the AFC West to make moves. Russell Wilson became a Denver Bronco and Davante Adams swapped the green and gold of Green Bay for the silver and black of Las Vegas. The Chiefs may have lost Tyreek Hill, but Juju Smith-Schuster will relish the chance to play for Patrick Mahomes over an ageing and now retired Ben Roethlisberger.

Herbert and the Chargers will feel they have a great chance of making the playoffs since the 2018 season. They almost made it last season, but there is a good chance that head coach Brandon Staley’s decision to call a timeout against the Raiders in their week 18 clash cost them that opportunity. 

Can they now make that next step and get into the playoffs?

Surveying The Schedule

They will first need to overcome the aforementioned AFC West. It has taken over the crown from the NFC West as the NFL’s toughest division with all four teams playoff contenders. 

Herbert’s record against the three other AFC West teams is 6-6. With all four teams playing each other twice a season, you can see all four teams only winning half of their division games at best.   

This will put extra emphasis on the other games they face in 2022. Games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, and Atlanta Falcons present very winnable games on paper. Facing the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis Colts present Herbert and the Chargers with a tough task.

A team with excellent pieces on both sides of the ball, Brandon Staley is likely not to change his aggressive fourth down approaches. This approach makes you look a genius when it comes off but equally a combination of courage and stupidity when it doesn’t work out and you leave your opponent in good field position.

Staley impressed massively during his first season as a head coach. Like Herbert, he also has to make the next step and reach the playoffs. 

Aggressive Staley Ready To Deliver Playoff Football

Every offseason, there is often a few head coaches down as “being on the hot seat”. What do they have in common? Most are going into their third season with no playoff appearances. 

Staley will be likely to be given that tag over his head if they do not make the playoffs this season. Nine times out of ten, reaching the playoffs in your first or second season buys you time in the NFL as a head coach. If you don’t make the playoffs in the first two seasons, then you are often given enormous pressure to do so in year three. 

Despite a tough division, not making the playoffs with the talent already at his disposal along with the new additions, this would crank up massive pressure on Staley as the Chargers look to avoid wasting Herbert’s promising career.

What a first two seasons Herbert has had in Chargers uniform. He has thrown for the most touchdown passes through the first two campaigns of a career in NFL history (69). 

In the first two seasons into an NFL career, no one has thrown for more passing yards (9,350) or completions (839). Herbert already has the franchise single season record for touchdowns, passing yards and completions (443). 

A cannon arm, ability to use his feet and a football brain, his growth continues to make Miami Dolphins fans wince. Tua Tagovailoa is set to embark upon his own growth, but the team could have had Herbert.

Expectations

Herbert is reaching a pivotal part of his career. A third season without playoff football and questions may start to be asked. 

He has all the makings in not only becoming the best quarterback in franchise history, but he also has the potential to become one of the greatest players of his generation. Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are likely to have the next Manning-Brady rivalry and Herbert has all the capability to be part of that conversation. One thing that Mahomes and Allen have is playoff appearances and wins. This is why Matthew Stafford was never considered one of the great quarterbacks in the league until he joined the Rams. He wasn’t winning games or making deep playoff runs.

A playoff win or more for Herbert will earn him the right from NFL fans as being in that conversation. A big season waits for Herbert and the Chargers.

ANDY DAVIES

NFL ANALYST

A current Sports Journalism masters student, Andy has been writing NFL articles since January 2020. Originally from Wales, Andy also writes for pro football mania and dolphins talk, as well as appearing on podcasts and videos for euro tripz. find him on twitter @andydaviessport.

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