The Houston Texans hosted the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round of the 2024 NFL playoffs. This is the second consecutive postseason appearance for the Texans, while the Chargers are making their appearance for the first time since 2022.
One of things the Chargers like to do is establish the run. They got JK Dobbins involved early as well as Gus Edwards. Justin Hebert found his main guy Ladd McConkey for a huge gain, and they were moving down the field with ease.
Despite getting in the red zone, they were held to a field goal due to a crucial drop and loss of yardage. Houston’s first play of the game was a fumble recovered by the defense, and the Chargers quickly got it back at the 33-yard line.
Herbert took a sack which led to a third and long situation. They were unable to convert and had to settle for the field goal. The kick was good, and it was a quick 6-0 lead for the Chargers. The next two possessions for both teams were quick three and outs.
The first possession of the second quarter for Houston lasted less than a minute as Stroud was picked off by Deane Leonard. Fortunately, they immediately got the ball back after Kamari Lassiter intercepted Herbert.
It was a defensive clinic for most of the first half. It was not until five minutes left in the second quarter that Houston got on the board, and it happened thanks to an accidental play. On third down, the snap was bobbled but Stroud recovered it in time. He scrambled and found Xavier Hutchinson for a 34-yard gain.
Up until that point, the Texans did not have a single play in their opponent’s territory. Stroud then found Nico Collins for a 37-yard gain. A few plays later, Stroud found Collins for the touchdown to take their first lead of the game. The Chargers tried to answer, but Herbert threw three straight incompletions which forced them to punt.
On 2nd and 6, Stroud took off for 27 yards to get his team in field goal range. He then found his receiver for a couple more yards to make it more manageable. The kick was good for Ka’imi Fairbairn, and the Texans had a 10-6 lead at the half. With the ball to start the second, they had a chance to make things interesting.
On the first third down of the third quarter, Stroud found Collins for a 37-yard gain. After a slow start, Houston’s offense looked like it was settling in and in rhythm. But the Chargers forced a fumble on Joe Mixon and got the ball. The offense took over at their own 26-yard line, and Herbert wasted no time finding McConkey for a huge gain.
They also got a face mask penalty which put them even further in Houston territory. But they did not come away with any points after turning it over on downs. The Texans took over at their own 35-yard line and wasted no time moving down the field to LA territory. Stroud took a shot in the end zone and it was broken up by Derwin James.
It was originally ruled an interception, but later overturned to an incomplete pass. Despite the incomplete pass, two penalties were called against Houston which pushed them further back. They managed to overcome the penalties and get into decent field goal range. The kick was good, and they increased their lead to seven. The defense for the Texans continued to make things difficult for Herbert, and forced the punt. The defense would also pick off Herbert on the next drive, and it was returned for a touchdown by Eric Murray.
The pick six immediately switched the momentum as Houston had full control of the game. The Chargers tried to answer, but Herbert was picked off for a third time after the ball was dropped by the receiver into Stingley’s hands. The Chargers’ defense held the offense to a field goal, but it did not matter as the game had gotten out of hand.
The Chargers got the ball back, but it was a rough start as Herbert took back to back sacks. On 3rd and 26, Herbert was able to find McConkey for an 86-yard touchdown. It was their first touchdown of the game, and the first time they scored since the first quarter.
Just when it seemed like things were finally looking up for the Chargers, the extra point was blocked and returned for two points by Houston. It was a two-possession game at that point, so a stop for LA was much needed. But Houston’s run game came alive in the second half, and they quickly got in the red zone.
They faced a 4th down on the drive twice, and it was converted twice. The second fourth down was converted to a 17-yard touchdown run which was the dagger. The Chargers’ final drive ended with Stingley intercepting Herbert once again. The Texans got the win with the final score 32-12.
CJ Stroud finished with 22 completions out of 33 attempts for 282 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also had 42 rushing yards. Nico Collins finished with seven receptions for 122 yards and one touchdown. Joe Mixon finished with 25 carries for 106 yards and one touchdown. He also had 13 receiving yards.
Houston’s defense sacked the quarterback four times, had nine quarterback hits, four interceptions (including a pick six), and five tackles for loss. This was one of the best defensive performances of the season, and it was put on display for the world to see.
Justin Herbert finished with just 14 completions out of 32 attempts for 242 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. The only bright spot on offense was Ladd McConkey, who finished with nine receptions for 197 yards and a touchdown. He set the record for the most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game.
The Texans’ regular season was up and down due to inconsistent play. They also dealt with several injuries to key players. But they showed that none of that matters when it comes to the postseason because anything can happen. Many people picked the Chargers to win because of how they exceeded expectations during the season, especially on the defensive side. The Texans showed that they are to be taken seriously no matter what happened in the regular season.
Photo Courtesy: @HoustonTexans/X