Mired in his worst NFL season, Los Angeles Chargers starting quarterback Justin Herbert was baselessly accused of betting against his own team by retired linebacker Emmanuel Acho on Sunday.
Speaking on his podcast after Herbert tossed two picks in a 24-9 loss to the crosstown LA Rams, Acho started by suggesting the 28-year-old Oregon product is having problems reading defenses.
‘Somebody gotta call an ophthalmologist cause Herbert can’t see,’ Acho said. ‘He can’t see. He needs LASIK. He can’t see! It is impossible to make the throws Justin Herbert makes on a weekly basis if his eyes were functioning properly. It’s impossible to do it. Impossible! He seemingly throws it directly to a defender every single week.’
Then Acho raised the stakes.
‘At this juncture in time, there are only a couple options,’ he continued. ‘Either Herbert is invested in the opponent, either Herbert is gambling on the opponent, or Herbert simply cannot see.’
There is no evidence that Herbert is gambling on his games, which is expressly forbidden by the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.
Justin Herbert has endured a dreadful start to the season, with the Chargers sitting 0-7
Emmanuel Acho bizarrely accused Herbert of gambling on rival teams after his latest struggles
Nor is there any evidence that Herbert’s struggles are related to his recent engagement to singer-songwriter Madison Beer, although that hasn’t stopped some critics from taking such a leap.
But whatever the problem is, the urgency to find an answer couldn’t be greater. Herbert has tossed 10 interceptions to just five touchdowns this season for the 0-7 Chargers, who are now facing a major offseason overhaul without a significant turnaround in LA.
The offensive line has undoubtedly struggled as Herbert has been sacked 23 times, but there is plenty of blame to go around, with offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel at the heart of it.
While many have called for him to be fired, he appears to retain the backing of head coach Harbaugh, even as the winless streak nears historic levels.
Furious Chargers fans previously blamed Madison Beer for Herbert’s early season struggles
Herbert is sacked by Byron Young during the Chargers’ brutal loss to the rival Rams
When asked after the team’s latest loss if McDaniel would continue to call plays, Harbaugh told reporters: ‘Yes. Not going to address anything. I’m focused on this game, and that’s my focus.’
When further pressed on what he had seen to give him hope, he added: ‘Yeah, our motivation is dedication to getting it. To getting it changed, to getting it fixed.
‘I said I’m focused on this game. I will go watch this tape. And I believe in our guys. I believe in our players, our coaches, and, yeah, it’s us who are the ones that the challenge is with, and we’re the ones that, we’re the only ones that can fix it.’
