Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert Clap Back at Quentin Lake’s Jab

Los Angeles Rams defensive back Quentin Lake called out Justin Herbert in brutal terms after Sunday’s win.

Lake picked off Herbert once in the Rams’ 24-9 victory over the Chargers on Nov. 1.

During an appearance on the “St. Brown Podcast,” Lake described Herbert’s performance with a vivid phrase.

“I mean, he was throwing deli meat out there. He’s seeing ghosts, I’m not gonna lie,” Lake said, struggling to hold back laughter.

Herbert threw two interceptions in that game and led zero touchdown drives.

The Chargers quarterback was asked about Lake’s comments during his Wednesday press conference.

“I haven’t looked into it, haven’t heard anything about it, so I can’t really make a comment about it,” Herbert told reporters, via Chargers Wire.

He pivoted quickly to the team’s focus.

“We’re really just focused on what’s going on in the building, playing football and doing what we can and doing our best to, you know, go put our best effort out on Sunday,” Herbert said.

“And that’s all that really matters. Anything outside of that is out of our control.”

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh also faced questions about Lake’s shot at his quarterback.

Harbaugh defended Herbert directly.

“As far as anybody’s opinion, I don’t see that,” Harbaugh said.

“Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. Not what I see.”

Pressed on what he did see from Herbert in the Rams game, Harbaugh pointed to the positives.

“Pass game, I thought he played — did his job exceptionally well. You know, two throws he would have liked to have back,” Harbaugh added.

Those two throws were the interceptions Lake helped create.

There is no denying that Herbert has struggled this season.

He leads the NFL with 10 interceptions — at least one in every game.

ESPN stats show he ranked last among qualified players with a 32.6 adjusted QBR entering Week 9.

Herbert threw for 257 yards against the Rams but the Chargers did not score a single touchdown.

The team moved the ball at times in the first half, but the game was not particularly close after the Rams got going on offense in the second half.

Lake’s comments placed an even brighter spotlight on Herbert’s struggles.

The Rams defensive back is not the first opponent to call out a struggling quarterback, but the bluntness of his language drew attention across the league.

Herbert was supposed to take a big leap in his fifth NFL season.

Instead, he is on pace for a career-worst year in interceptions and team wins.

The Chargers are 0-7 — the last winless team in the league.

They are losing by an average of 10.9 points per game.

The offense averages just 14.1 points and 288.3 total yards per game.

Both the offense and defense rank in the bottom half of the NFL.

Harbaugh’s job security is now a major question.

Kalshi, a prediction market platform, prices a Harbaugh firing at 85%.

He was not even on the preseason coaches fired market.

He entered after Week 3’s loss to the Buffalo Bills at 44% and has jumped over 40% since.

Kalshi settles the market on whether Harbaugh is still with the Chargers by March.

A $10 trade on the Chargers firing him by then profits just $1.76.

Harbaugh arrived in Los Angeles with a National Championship at Michigan on his resume.

He finished 11-6 in each of his first two seasons with the Chargers and made the playoffs both times.

He led a top-10 defense and top-15 offense in those seasons.

His NFL career record is 66-38-1.

This season, the Chargers fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman and hired former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.

McDaniel was considered one of the top offensive minds in the league.

He turned the Dolphins from a bottom-10 offense to the second-ranked offense in the league in just two seasons.

But Miami’s bottom-10 offense in his final two seasons cost McDaniel the job there.

Now the same pattern appears to be unfolding with the Chargers.

Herbert’s regression under McDaniel is the most visible symptom.