Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is off to an awful start to the season.
Herbert is playing some of his worst football in the first two weeks, against the Cardinals and Raiders.
The "easy" part of their schedule is over, and they failed to capitalize. Now the toughest part of their schedule is ahead, starting in Week 3 on the road against the Buffalo Bills.
It's a massive game for a variety of reasons, but more so for Herbert. The 28-year-old quarterback hasn't looked sharp, leading many to stop believing in him, including FOX Sports NFL writer Steven Ruiz.
In his latest column, Ruiz revealed how Herbert's weakness will be on full display on Sunday: going off script.
"Herbert can be a bit robotic, following the script his offensive coordinator
lays out, even when the situation calls for a little improvisation," Ruiz wrote.
"It’s not that Herbert is bad when playing out of structure; he just doesn’t do it nearly enough for a guy of his ability. He’s 6-foot-6 and can outrun defensive linemen and most linebackers. He doesn’t lose any arm strength on the run and doesn’t need much time or space to get a throw off."
Herbert certainly has the build and talent to make a ton of plays with his feet and arm similar to Allen; however, we don't see it often.
This season, no one looks comfortable or in a rhythm in Mike McDaniel's offense. McDaniel's offense is designed to be fast-paced with outside-zone runs, heavy pre-snap motion, and quick-timing throws.
When things are clicking in McDaniel's offense, it looks pretty. When it's not, we get what we've seen from the Chargers the past two weeks.
Herbert can make plays off script, but even with the script this season, it's been ugly to watch. The Chargers quarterback is off, with a low on-target percentage, occasional decision-making struggles, and a tendency to force plays behind a shaky interior offensive line.
Now, we're not here to blame anyone but Herbert; that's the reality of the situation.
Herbert has been far from the Pro Bowl quarterback we've seen in the past, and if he doesn't fix things by Sunday, the contrast between Herbert and Allen's play will be stark.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers’ Justin Herbert's biggest weakness will be on full display vs. Bills, says NFL analyst
