It was an absolutely nightmarish first half for Justin Herbert in the Los Angeles Chargers’ Wild Card Round playoff game against the Houston Texans.

Herbert went 8-for-20 with 97 yards and an interception in the first two quarters, and the Chargers trailed 10-6 before halftime.

To be fair to Herbert, he didn’t get great protection, but he also made some very dangerous throws, one of which was blocked.

Herbert has faced some pretty big demons this postseason, having only played in one playoff game prior to this Texans matchup.

That one game came in January 2022, when Herbert and the Bolts blew a 27-point lead in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Since then, Herbert has faced intense criticism as many have questioned whether the former first-round pick is actually capable of elevating his team in its biggest moments.

The University of Oregon product has put up good numbers throughout his NFL career, although he has certainly seen a slight decline in performance in recent seasons.

Herbert is undoubtedly hugely talented, but he still has a lot to prove at the professional level.

A quarterback legacy is built in the playoffs, and Herbert certainly didn’t get off to a great start in the early stages of his postseason career.

The good news is that Herbert and the Chargers still have plenty of time to turn things around against Houston, as they still have a full half of football left to play.

But Herbert will definitely have to exorcise these demons later.

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