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Watch: Justin Herbert matches season interception total with three picks in three quarters
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Watch: Justin Herbert matches season interception total with three picks in three quarters

The first three quarters of Saturday's wild-card game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans were not exactly a clinic in great quarterback play or offensive football. 

That was highlighted (or perhaps low-lighted) when Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert threw his second interception of the day, sailing a pass to Ladd McConkey that went right into the hands of Texans defensive back Eric Murray.

Murray then had a clear path to the end zone for a pick-six to give the Texans a 20-6 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Have a look.

At that point, Herbert had completed just 11 of 28 passes for only 128 yards through three quarters. 

It did not get better for him — or the Chargers offense — early in the fourth quarter when a Herbert pass bounced off the hands of Will Dissly right into the hands of Texans defensive back Derek Stingley Jr. who returned it 54 yards.

With that, Herbert matched his interception total for the entire season (three) in just a little more than three quarters. 

Not what he or the Chargers wanted from the face of their franchise in a playoff game. 

Herbert did a great job all regular season playing efficient, winning football and protecting the ball better than he ever has in his career. It took one game for all of that to completely disappear. 

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on Twitter @AGretz

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