Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston’s six touchdown catches in his first eight appearances this season represented a big improvement over his performance his rookie year, but Monday night’s game against the Ravens was an unwelcome reminder of how much Johnston struggled in 2023.

Five passes from quarterback Justin Herbert went Johnston’s way Monday night and he didn’t catch any of them. Three of those passes were in Johnston’s hands before he reached the turf in the second half, and the drops helped save the Chargers from a comeback that would have allowed them to avoid a 30-23 home loss.

Herbert said he could have provided “better placement, better balls” on throws, but Johnston said it’s up to him to make the plays when they present themselves.

“You just learn not to dwell on it too much and just try to get it over with as much as you can,” Johnston said, via Joe Reedy of the Associated Press. “Of course I want to have catches back, but that’s not possible. So all I can do is just learn from it. …I know I did has to get better.”

The Chargers gave up 213 rushing yards and couldn’t get anything going on the ground after JK Dobbins left with a knee injury. So the missed connections with Johnston weren’t the only place where the team fell short. However, the mistakes were still glaring and the Chargers will need more from the 2023 first-round pick going forward.