The Houston Texans are set to play in their second straight Wild Card Round game, where last year they beat the Cleveland Browns and advanced to the next round, only to lose to the Baltimore Ravens. This year, they are playing the Los Angeles Chargers, a team they are not familiar with despite being in the same conference.
These two teams have not played one another since the 2022 season, and back then, both teams had different head coaches, and very different teams in general. These are nowhere near the same teams. So, we needed to go behind enemy lines a bit to figure out what to expect.
I asked Adam Holt of A to Z Sports, who covers the Chargers, a few questions that may be different than what you would normally see. Here are the three burning questions I asked:
Burning questions for Texans vs. Chargers
The Chargers are a team that prides themselves on running the ball and being efficient. How do you see the game plan going with the run game against a team that has two elite pass rushers like the Texans do? Will they make running the ball a bigger part?
Absolutely. Finding success in the ground game opens up the offense through the air, and Justin Herbert should be a part of that attack, too. He totaled 42 rushing yards last week & has five other games with 25+ yards on the ground. All but one of those games were wins for the Chargers.
Herbert has had one of the most underrated seasons in the league, sadly he hasn’t been able to have that playoff success yet. Do you see him playing like the Herbert we all know?
He’s really been one of the best QBs in football, albeit without stats that look like Lamar Jackson’s or Joe Burrow’s. I think having Jim Harbaugh as his coach will make a notable difference in the postseason, and he continues his strong play when it matters most.
These two teams haven’t played since 2022, and both are completely different teams now than they were then. Give Texans fans one player to look out for that they may not know about.
I’ll go with linebacker Daiyan Henley. The young defender has brought a lot of energy to the Chargers' defense and has a knack for making a big play when LA needs it most.
Texans analyst reveals Chargers' biggest reason they can slow down C.J. Stroud in Wild Card matchup
The Los Angeles Chargers are postseason bound. It will be a battle of young quarterbacks in Justin Herbert and C.J. Stroud. One has had a fantastic and efficient season. The other has seen struggles much more often.
I discussed some key aspects to the AFC battle with Justin Churchill, who covers the Houston Texans for A to Z Sports. Check out our discussion regarding the matchup below.
Chargers-Texans playoff breakdown
C.J. Stroud has had a bit of a sophomore slump this season. There's certainly a multitude of reasons for the offensive issues in Houston. What’s been the biggest reason for that so far & how could the Chargers try to take advantage on defense?
The biggest reason has by far been the regression of the offense as a whole. Many believe offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is main cause of it. He calls plays that have simply never worked once this season, and he’s doing that as late into the season as last week. It’s just not working and he’s trying to force it. That, and the offensive line has maybe been the worst in the league in both aspects. -- Justin Churchill
Derek Stingley Jr. has been an elite cornerback this season. Some may not know his name well, but they will learn sooner than later. Will he move around with stud rookie WR Ladd McConkey or stay on one side of the field outside?
He will likely mirror Ladd, and that’s a matchup everyone should want to see. Regardless of the fact that Ladd has had some stellar games this year, like their game last week and even the week before. But, Stingley has a case to be the second best or third best cornerback in the league. He’s that good, and a lot of people will be out on to his physicality and ability to play man.
-- Justin Churchill
This matchup is one of the closest in the Wild Card round when it comes to the odds. Who do you think ultimately comes out on top in Chargers-Texans? Give me your final score prediction.
I think the Chargers will ultimately win this. It’s going to come down to coaching and efficiency, and with how the Texans have been playing, and with all of the injuries they have, it just seems likely that they will win. I have Chargers winning 27-17 -- Justin Churchill
The Chargers cannot take the Texans lightly. If they do, it'll be a quick postseason trip in Jim Harbaugh's first season as head coach in Los Angeles. I do not believe that will be the case, either, though.
Harbaugh has proven to know how to win in the NFL playoffs, and Chargers fans are hoping that transitions to a fun run for Los Angeles, starting this weekend.
We'll see if the Chargers can grab a much needed first playoff win for Herbert and his squad during his NFL career.
