As the NFL playoffs got underway in Houston, our Chargers vs Texans Wild Card recap looks at the home team’s brutal 32-12 beating of favored Los Angeles and how and why it happened.
Houston was perceived as the weakest and most vulnerable team in the AFC, even more so than struggling Pittsburgh and inexperienced Denver. Los Angeles was a 3-point favorite.
Houston Was Good and Lucky
The Texans’ strength is their defense. Head coach DeMeco Ryans was a linebacker as a player and maintains that mentality as a coach: aggressive, hard-hitting, making opponents pay even if they gain a few yards.
They held the Chargers to 261 total yards and intercepted Herbert four times. Houston cornerback Eric Murray returned one for a touchdown. To put that in context, Herbert threw four interceptions in 17 games during the regular season. LA managed 50 yards on the ground.
As for their good fortune, the Chargers led 6-0 in the second quarter with just over two minutes remaining in the half and the Texans on their own 18-yard line. On 3rd and 16, the snap sailed over quarterback C.J. Stroud’s head. Normally, this spells disaster with the possibility of a defensive touchdown or a safety. But Stroud picked up the ball, scrambled to the right, and completed a pass to midfield for a first down. They drove for a touchdown to take a 7-6 lead.
LA Abandoned Their Game
All season, the Chargers won by sticking to a safety-first offense, a team-oriented defense, the running game, and mistake-free football. They failed in all four areas against Houston.
In addition to Herbert’s four interceptions, kicker Cameron Dicker made an egregious mistake on the point-after attempt after LA scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 23-12 — a tough but doable deficit to overcome.
The kick was blocked and instead of trying to catch it and fall on it, Dicker swatted it to the ground, seemingly unaware that the ball was live and if Houston ran it back to the Chargers’ end zone, they would be awarded two points.
This is simply not knowing the rules and Houston securing those two points all but sealed the deal.
Herbert’s first interception set the tone, and it was a judgment error that Harbaugh specifically teaches his players to avoid. Scrambling to the right, he threw the ball downfield and to the left. This is bad for several reasons, not the least of which is that no matter how strong the quarterback’s arm is, the ball will not have sufficient zip to get it to the intended receiver. In that position, accuracy is compromised.
Worse, LA abandoned the rushing attack too early. Feature back J.K. Dobbins was limited to 26 yards on nine carries. Gus Edwards ran for 22 yards on seven carries.
It was as if LA got to this position winning their way by holding opponents down and allowing the fewest points per game in the league and chose to get into a shootout with Houston thinking the Texans, without receivers Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs, would not be able to score.
They were wrong.
Houston Goes to KC or Baltimore
The playoff scenarios simplify exponentially after Wild Card Weekend. Baltimore, the number 3 seed, beat Pittsburgh. The Bills-Broncos game will determine who goes where. If number 2 seed Buffalo wins, they host Baltimore, and Houston visits top seed Kansas City. If number 7 seed Denver upsets Buffalo, they go to Kansas City and Houston goes to Baltimore.
As the Chargers vs Texans Wild Card recap shows, people thinking about how to assess the game need to consider every potential scenario, including great coaches like Harbaugh and top-tier quarterbacks like Herbert making dramatic missteps.
And let’s not discuss kickers touching the ball with any part of their body other than their foot.
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