Justin Herbert is caught in a rough patch this season, but his struggles against DeMeco Ryans’ defenses are downright alarming. He carries a 0-3 career record when facing Ryans, whether he’s been a defensive coordinator or a head coach, and the stats from those games paint a grim picture for the Chargers.
The Ryans Problem: An Unbreakable Code?
This isn’t just a minor blip for Herbert. Historically, Ryans’ defenses have absolutely owned him. Across those three career losses, Herbert has thrown for a meager three touchdown passes against a staggering six interceptions. The worst of it? Four of those picks came in a single game, the 2024 wild-card loss to the Texans. It’s like Ryans has Herbert’s number, and right now, there’s no answer in sight.
Chargers’ Season Sinking Fast
This personal struggle for Herbert comes at the worst possible time, as the entire Chargers team is on a brutal 10-game losing streak. That’s just one loss shy of matching the franchise record, set back in 1975 and tied again in 2000. If they drop today’s game, the Chargers will plummet to 0-8 for the first time since 2000. That year, the primary quarterbacks were none other than Ryan Leaf and current Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh. Talk about unwelcome company for Herbert and the current squad.
Herbert’s Personal Skid: Echoes of the Past
It’s not just the team’s record or the Ryans curse. Herbert himself is in a major slump, going nine straight games without throwing multiple touchdowns. This is the second-longest such streak in Chargers history, only “surpassed” by Ryan Leaf’s 12-game streak from 1998 into 2000. When you’re being mentioned in the same breath as Leaf for negative streaks, you know things are bad.
With Sunday’s game on the horizon, this isn’t just another matchup. For Herbert, it’s a chance to finally flip the script against his personal boogeyman, DeMeco Ryans. For the team, it’s about avoiding an 0-8 start and a new franchise losing record, a slide that could define their season in the worst possible way. Everyone’s watching to see if they can somehow dig out of this hole.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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