It was the same episode for the Chargers, as they had a large advantage, but they were unable to hold on to it, losing to the Buccaneers by the score of 38-31 last Sunday.
After the loss, let’s see what the nation thinks of Los Angeles:
USA Today: 21 (Previous: 24)
“All 31 of their points at Tampa Bay came courtesy of undrafted free agents. Pretty remarkable … and necessary with RB Austin Ekeler (also undrafted) and WR Mike Williams shelved.”
Touchdown Wire: 15 (Previous: 21)
“There are times as an analyst when you have to review a previous position, admit you were wrong, take the “L,” and move on. This would be me with the case of one Justin Herbert, the rookie quarterback for the Chargers, who was thrown into service before expected after a Chargers team doctor accidentally punctured Tyrod Taylor’s lung. Hardly ideal circumstances, but Herbert has made the most of them beyond my previous evaluation. Back in May, I wrote that Herbert is is “the kind of quarterback who makes the glamorous stuff look easy, and the subtle things look nearly impossible. That is a prototypical formula for a boom-or-bust guy.”
Well. Herbert is now the first quarterback with two passes of 50 or more yards since Deshaun Watson in 2017, and he’s thrown for 931 yards in his first three career starts. Only Cam Newton (1,012 in 2011) has had more. In the Chargers’ 38-31 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday, Herbert nonetheless took it to Tampa Bay’s defense, completing two passes of 20 or more air yards in two attempts for 125 yards, two touchdowns, and a perfect passer rating of 158.3. The Chargers have their quarterback of the future, and Herbert has one more (formerly reluctant) believer.”
NFL: 18 (Previous: 19)
“There was bad news on Sunday, like Austin Ekeler’s injury, the defense’s struggles to stop Tom Brady and a Joshua Kelley fumble that changed the game. But it’s important to have a big-picture view when a rookie quarterback is playing, and from that standpoint, the Chargers should feel elated right now. Justin Herbert was excellent against a strong Bucs defense, leading the team on four touchdown drives and hitting on a pair of deep-ball strikes that showed off his big arm and pocket toughness. He’s a nimble player for his size, too, buying extra seconds to make a play. Yes, his fourth-quarter interception helped seal L.A.’s fate, and blowing 24-7 leads is never an easy pill to swallow for any team, but Herbert has been a revelation through three weeks.
ESPN: 19 (Previous: 19)
“This figure could be right, but as rookie quarterback Justin Herbert continues to impress and grow within the system, the Chargers very well could go on a late winning streak and squeak in. But having RB Austin Ekeler likely out with a hamstring/knee injury means that rookie Joshua Kelley needs to hang on to the ball after key fumbles in the past two games. The defense needs to get better at forcing turnovers. The Chargers have been so close — all three losses were within one score — and they need to figure out how to bust through.”
CBS Sports: 23 (Previous: 21)
“They have a tough decision: Stay with Justin Herbert or go back to Tyrod Taylor. I would play the kid.”
Sports Illustrated: 22
“The Chargers seem to have found their quarterback—Will they keep playing him?”
Sporting News: 23 (Previous: 22)
“The Chargers can’t turn back to Tyrod Taylor with the way rookie first-rounder Justin Herbert has operated the offense, getting big plays out of everyone beyond Keenan Allen and Hunter Henry. The loss of Austin Ekeler, however, is a big blow for so many more things that could help.”