The sudden and powerful earthquake that was felt at 6:57 PM EST on Sunday night left Justin Herbert running to the podium after the Los Angeles Chargers lost their second consecutive home loss at 6:57 PM EST last April.
Because it’s never Justin Herbert’s fault. Some say he’s “what he should be” when it comes to the quarterback game, though he threw a pair of interceptions and posted a QBR of 15.6 against a defense ranked 23rd by the EPA in 2025.
Nevertheless, somehow, there is always an excuse. Proof of Herbert’s weaknesses is always present, and his mediocre game is always excused by his bigger and louder defenders. Even though it’s two weeks into the season, it’s time for Herbert’s most vocal advocates to admit that they have unwavering faith in this quarterback — and on this team and off the year.
Herbert was undeniably fantastic in his first two seasons in 2020 and 2021. He threw for more than 9,000 yards in that two-year span — culminating in a 5,000-yard season in 2021 — with 69 touchdowns and a passer rating north of 97 in both seasons. He also ranks 10th in EPA per game, sitting between No. 9 Drew Brees and No. 11 Matthew Stafford (400 snaps). But since then, Herbert… is he okay? As of 2022, among all quarterbacks to play 250 snaps, Herbert has an EPA of 0.03 per game; In summer sports – Same sign as CJ Stroud and Michael Penix. Now, to his credit, he’s fourth in yards and eighth in touchdowns, but he’s missed the playoffs as many times as he has, and statistically, he’s one of the best playoff quarterbacks of the last 25 years.
But let’s focus on the here and now. In the Chargers’ first two games of the season, Herbert laid two giant eggs. He is completing just 59 percent of his three-and-two passes so far, and the Bolts are ranked 27th in each game despite having two games against teams expected to win. The biggest line in Week 1 at FanDuel Sportsbook was 9.5 point favorites against the Cardinals. Herbert shot over 60 percent passing for one touchdown and one interception and failed to score more than 14 points. That loss became immediately embarrassing after Drew Lock threw for three scores in Week 2 when the Seahawks beat Arizona by 24.
Now, after losing to two teams projected to be among the worst in the NFL, the Chargers face the toughest schedule in the NFL. In Week 3, they travel to Buffalo to face the Bills’ buzzsaw offense, which is playing on extended rest. Then it’s off to Seattle to face the Seahawks before taking on the Denver Broncos in a home game against the Chiefs, followed by a day against the Rams and another road trip to Houston.
So what’s the excuse this time? “The offensive line is bad.” Both tackles are healthy and Herbert has the 12th-lowest pressure percentage in the league. “It’s Coaching” All we heard was that Mike McDaniel was going to bring out the best version of Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa had better results than he had with Herbert before. “He doesn’t have a top receiver.” Josh Allen won the MVP with Mack Hollins as his top target and Patrick Mahomes won the Super Bowl by throwing to Kadarius Toney and Skye Moore. And if Herbert wants more, that’s fine — most quarterbacks do. But let’s stop bogging him down in conversations he has no business doing.
That’s the cold open – this is a hot read.
The New Orleans Saints have arrived
The Saints have been the hottest team to close out the 2025 season, winning four of their last five games and possibly getting something in second-round pick Tyler Shaw. After two and a half quarters against the Detroit Lions in Week 1, though, it looks like we’re getting the same old Saints. However, Shaw led New Orleans on a 21-point second half that took the game into overtime. And while the Saints came up short, their second-year quarterback led the way with a 400-yard performance. A second straight road game awaited them in the form of the Baltimore Ravens, and once again the Saints leaned on Shaw and his late game heroics.
The Louisville product led the Saints on a 16-play drive that lasted nearly seven minutes off the clock late in the fourth quarter. Shaw went 7-of-8 for 61 yards over the course of the drive, culminating in a yard out and a punt into the end zone to give the Saints the lead. The Ravens would have a chance to tie the game, but Lamar Jackson’s interception of Julian Blackmon sealed the Saints’ biggest win since the Drew Brees-Sean Payton era. Through two weeks, Shaw leads the league with 662 passing yards and five total touchdowns, and is getting terrific support from his weapons. Chris Olave has 18 catches for 268 yards in two games. Devaughn Vele is a solid No. 2 in the absence of first-round pick Jordyn Tyson, who has 12 hits.
For years, we’ve criticized the Saints for their lack of transfer construction, which has made them a perennially low ceiling. However, their current combination of youth and veteran talent is a refreshing change. In the wide-open NFC South, this Saints team could make the playoffs in January. And if that’s their final destination, the vehicle that will get them there will be their second-year right-hander as well as head coach Kellen Moore’s terrific play-calling.
The Raiders finally found the right head coach
As of 2020, the Las Vegas Raiders have gone 39-62 over the past six seasons through five head coaches. After firing Pete Carroll following a 3-14 record in his lone season, the Raiders turned to the Seahawks to hire offensive coordinator Clint Kubiak after helping Seattle win the Super Bowl.
The Raiders started the Kubiak era with a 27-13 win over the Miami Dolphins, but this was Week 2 where this Vegas team showed they weren’t the franchise we grew up watching. Going on the road to face the Chargers, the Raiders defense forced three fumbles and collected three sacks en route to a 26-14 win over their division rival. Kirk Cousins turned back the clock a bit, too, going 19-of-29 for 253 yards and three touchdowns. Most impressively, the Raiders are doing it without Brock Bowers, which should motivate fans even more for a comeback.
These are not absolute victories. These low-scoring games aren’t exactly coming out – they’ve outscored both of their opponents so far by a combined 51-27. Does this mean they will be a playoff team? No, but this is not about him. This is a franchise that has tried to rebuild several times, but has failed to do much more than put its foundations. Kubiak appears to be what fans have been waiting for for a long time, and that’s more important than the expected playoff run in year one. That said, if the Raiders continue this level of play, don’t be too surprised if that’s the end result.
Surprise, surprise – Rams are good.
Well, you see that. The Rams are the dominant team we all expected when they didn’t take a 16 hour flight 10 minutes before the game. After a horrible Week 1 showing against the 49ers in Melbourne, the Rams put on a high-flying offensive clinic in their home opener against the New York Giants in a Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Davante Adams has proven he is ageless despite his age. The future Hall of Famer hauled in eight catches for 195 yards and a pair of touchdowns, picking up the slack in an offense without the injured Puca Nacua. On defense, the Rams were without Myles Garrett, but added Aaron Donald, who was making his return to the NFL. In his first game since the 2023 season, the former Defensive Player of the Year had three tackles, including a loss.
Matthew Stafford looked like his MVP, finishing the night with 327 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-6 win over Los Angeles. Once this team of Avengers is fully assembled, God help the poor fools who stand in their way.
A game that changed everything
The Ravens were running the ball at less than a five-yard clip when they faced 3rd-and-1 with just over eight minutes left in New Orleans. But instead of leaning against Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson on the ground game, offensive coordinator Dylan Doyle called Chris Moore a deep shot. Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry broke up the pass to force an incompletion. And, once again, instead of relying on their home game, the Ravens punched. New Orleans would put together the aforementioned 16-play touchdown drive. If not for the Ravens’ decision to go deep and not go for it in the fourth, they could be sitting 2-0 here. Instead, the Saints won their signature.
Buy: The Dallas Cowboys are a real threat.
After starting out like Kevin in the chili pot, the Cowboys are back on track in grand fashion. Dak Prescott threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns in the process, becoming Dallas’ all-time leader. CeeDee Lamb had a crucial game as CeeDee Lamb caught eight passes for 153 yards on nine targets and Dallas beat the Chiefs 37-20. A big matchup awaits them in Brazil against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 – a game they will win 2-1.
Sale: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucks are 0-2 and have given Deshaun Watson his best career as a Brown. In two games, Baker seemed worried that Mayfield would get to him after Tampa paid him. He is averaging 6.4 yards per attempt and 199 passing yards per game with one touchdown and two turnovers in two games. Being in the NFC South naturally gives the Bucs a long streak, but in terms of teams that should be taken seriously, they are completely sold out.
Buy: The Bills are better without Sean McDermott.
We won’t know until January if that matters or not, but through two games the Bills look like a team that isn’t playing with the food. He dropped 36 against the Texans defense, which many believe is the best in the NFL, and followed that up four days later by dropping 41 against the Lions in a short week. Josh Allen has nine touchdowns and looks like the front-runner for an early MVP no change, and Greg Russo has surprisingly been put up in the new scheme by new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard with a league-leading four sacks. While past Bills have taken their foot off the gas far too often, these Bills are out for blood and have made an early statement with their explosive game.
Sell: New England Patriots Offense
New England bounced back from a 10-0 lead in the Week 1 loss to the Seahawks with a 20-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their offense is 26th in EPA per game and has scored just 23 points through two games. Drake Mayhem doesn’t seem like the MVP runner he was a season ago, as he’s already thrown four interceptions.
The Rams beat Denver well in week 3
The Rams and Broncos wrap up the Week 3 Sunday slate on Sunday Night Football. Los Angeles is currently a 2.5-point favorite, per FanDuel Sportsbook, and they’ll easily cover that spread. The Broncos offense is currently ranked 27th in EPA per game and the Rams have the best defense they have ever faced as well as the best offense. They beat Denver 27-13, and talk of Sean Payton taking back the play-calling duties is loud.