Just like last year’s playoff performance, Justin Herbert will now have yet another outing he would like to forget.
The Chargers earned a passing team grade of 27.5 against the Patriots, the worst mark of the season and somehow worse than Trey Lance’s performance against the Broncos surrounded by backups. But along with Herbert, it was a day to forget for just about everyone in and around the Chargers organization.
Jim Harbaugh’s effect on the team is apparent. They won 11 games for the second consecutive
season. That can’t be understated, but that doesn’t mean we gloss over what, and should, be changed.
The offseason is here and I couldn’t be more ready for it.
Offense
Best (min. 20 snaps)
OT Trey Pipkins – 74.0
OG Mekhi Becton – 63.8
TE Oronde Gadsden II – 61.6
RB Kimani Vidal – 57.9
WR Tre’ Harris – 57.7
Justin Herbert averaged over 3.40 seconds to throw which is the third time he’s hit that mark in his career. Pipkins and Becton played well enough to help the pass protection perform that well.
Vidal did his best to spur on a run game but it was unfortunately far from what was necessary to win this game. Harris caught a pass early but didn’t make much of a mark for the rest of the game. He ends the year as a very valuable player who played a lot of roles. The future is bright with him.
Worst
QB Justin Herbert – 29.7
C Bradley Bozeman – 41.3
OT Jamaree Salyer – 50.3
WR Keenan Allen – 52.3
OG Zion Johnson – 53.1
It’s hard for the words to come by because it’s not often we have a real situation where they need to be said, but Herbert was not good against the Patriots. He was very off on a night where his best was needed. He was not just the worst player on offense for the Bolts, he was their worst player, period. He missed a number of throws that he cannot afford to miss and it played massive role in his team getting buried.
Bozeman will be remembered as one of the worst centers in Chargers history and his final play with the franchise will be allowing Milton Williams to crush his quarterback.
Allen may have also played his last real game with the Chargers and it’s very unfortunate that it came with several drops and some a would-be touchdown he chose not to reach for.
Defense
Best
DT Teair Tart – 89.0
EDGE Odafe Oweh – 81.0
LB Daiyan Henley – 81.0
CB Benjamin St-Juste – 69.1
S R.J. Mickens – 67.3
Tart was spectacular as part of a massive effort by the Chargers defense. He tipped a pass that ended in an interception and recorded his first and only sack of the season.
Oweh was arguably the best defender on the field with his three sacks of Drake Maye. Despite recording zero sacks through his first five games of the year with the Ravens, he ended his 2025 season with double-digit sacks (regular and postseason combined).
Henley recorded the lone interception of Maye and led the team with 13 total tackles.
Worst
S Elijah Molden – 38.5
DT Justin Ebougbe – 47.3
S Derwin James – 48.5
EDGE Khalil Mack – 50.5
CB Donte Jackson – 53.2
Unfortunately James was blamed for the 28-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Henry in the fourth quarter. That was one of two receptions he allowed on four targets his way.
Mack’s grade was sunk by a pretty bad tackling grade (34.3). Eboigbe’s 22.9 tackling grade was the worst on the team.
