Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers are at risk of dropping to 0-5 with a loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Such a sentence may have seemed outlandish before the start of the 2026 NFL season.
Herbert has not looked like his usual self and there are already rumblings of head coach Jim Harbaugh and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel being on the hot seat.
A lot of the blame so far does fall upon Herbert, along with his top offensive coaches. However, a set of stats highlights how the offense may not stand a chance from the moment the ball is even snapped.
Justin Herbert Taking Shots Like No Other QB
The Athletic’s Noah Furtado wrote an article describing just how much pressure Herbert has faced since entering the league in 2020.
“Since Herbert entered the NFL in 2020, no other quarterback has endured more hits (644), sacks (237) and pressures (1,412) than Herbert,” he wrote. “He stands alone as the only QB to be hit more than 600 times in that span.”
Those are all shocking numbers. The one that stands out the most is how Herbert has been hit 644 times, while no other quarterback is in the 600 range. Herbert has already taken 12 sacks in four games, while throwing for a total of four touchdowns.
To make matters worse, Rashawn Slater has been placed on injured reserve. Joe Alt is also dealing with an injury, meaning the Broncos may bring pressure all game Sunday, knowing the Chargers have been unable to stop it for years.
Is Sunday’s Game a Must-Win?
Every single remaining game for the Chargers feels like a “must-win” game at this point. Yet it’s hard to make such a declaration given the team is already 0-4. Yes, the team must win to keep any slim playoff hopes alive. But even a win doesn’t mean the team is suddenly back in contention.
Simply playing well on offense should be the focus for now. Last week’s 30-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks represented a new season-high in points for the Chargers. This came after failing to eclipse the 16-point mark in any of the first three games. The lack of scoring alone shows the current state of the offense in 2026.
Yet a loss could indeed have dire consequences for the team and organization. Herbert is likely not going anywhere, thanks to a no-trade clause, which means the front office and coaching staff may begin to lose jobs as the team trends toward a top-5 pick.
Things don’t get any easier for the team in Week 6 with a road game in Kansas City before a Week 7 bye. An 0-6 start and a week to think things over would likely mean massive changes would be in store.
Justin Herbert Leads NFL in Painful Stat Since 2020