Chargers look for first playoff win since 2018 season when they meet Texans in wild-card round
Chargers look for first playoff win since 2018 season when they meet Texans in wild-card round
Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) at Houston (10-7)
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. EST, CBS
BetMGM NFL Odds: Chargers by 3.
Against the spread: Chargers 12-5, Texans 7-8-2.
Series record: Los Angeles leads 6-3.
Last meeting: Chargers beat Texans 34-24 on Oct. 2, 2022, in Houston.
Last week: Chargers beat Raiders 34-20; Texans beat Titans 23-14.
Chargers offense: overall (20), rush (17), pass (19), scoring (11)
Chargers defense: overall (11), rush (7), pass (14), scoring (1)
Texans offense: overall (22), rush (15), pass (21), scoring (19)
Texans defense: overall (5), rush (11), pass (6), scoring (14)
Turnover differential: Chargers plus-12; Texans plus-10
Chargers player to watch
QB Justin Herbert looks for his first playoff win in his second postseason start. The fifth-year veteran joined Aaron Rodgers (2018) as the only players in league history with at least 500 attempts (504) and three or fewer interceptions (three) in a season. Herbert averaged a career-low 227.6 passing yards per game this season, but has a career-best 101.7 passer rating. In his past eight starts on the road, he has 10 touchdowns, no picks and a 106.8 rating. Herbert has thrown for at least 335 yards in each of his two career starts against the Texans.
Texans player to watch
RB Joe Mixon is one of the most playoff-experienced members of Houston’s roster after appearing in seven postseason games for the Bengals in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He’s averaged 83.1 yards of offense per playoff game and has two career postseason touchdowns. Mixon had 1,016 yards rushing with 11 TDs this season to make him one of four AFC RBs with at least 1,000 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. Mixon added 309 yards receiving to make him the only player in the NFL with 1,250 yards of offense in each of the past four seasons.
Key matchup
Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said repeatedly this week that his defensive line vs. the Chargers offensive line will be the most important matchup. The Texans feature defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., who have combined for 23 sacks and 33 tackles for losses this season. The Chargers will counter with Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater, who has allowed just three sacks and 22 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. He is expected to return after missing Sunday’s game with a knee injury. At right tackle is rookie Joe Alt, the fifth overall pick in the draft, who has allowed six sacks and 20 pressures.
Key injuries
Chargers: RB J.K. Dobbins was limited in practice Wednesday with an ankle injury but is expected to play Saturday. … RB Gus Edwards was also limited in practice this week because of an ankle injury. … T Trey Pipkins was limited in practice this week with an oblique injury.
Texans: Anderson will return after sitting out last week with a hand injury. … WR John Metchie was limited in practice this week with a shoulder injury but should be ready for Saturday. … DT Folorunso Fatukasi could return this week after missing three games with an ankle injury. … CB Jeff Okudah could be back this week after missing Sunday’s game recovering from a concussion.
Series notes
The Chargers won the first four games in this series, beginning with a 24-3 victory in Houston’s inaugural season in 2002. The Texans beat the Chargers 31-28 in 2013 for their first win in the series. Houston won two in a row in the series in 2019 and 2021.
Stats and stuff
The Chargers are seeking their first playoff win since the 2018 season. This is their sixth straight road playoff game. They are 2-3 in that span. … Chargers are 6-10 all time in road playoff games. … Jim Harbaugh is 5-3 as a coach in the playoffs, with the previous three appearances being with San Francisco. … Dobbins had a career-high 1,058 scrimmage yards during the regular season, including a career-best 905 yards rushing. Dobbins has had at least 50 scrimmage yards in all 13 games he has played this season. … WR Ladd McConkey was fourth among rookies with 82 receptions and 1,149 yards. Both are franchise rookie records. McConkey has 11 straight games with at least 50 yards receiving. … WR Quentin Johnston had career highs with 13 catches for 186 yards in last week’s win at Las Vegas. … The Chargers led the league in scoring defense for the first time since 1963, allowing only 17.7 points per game. … LB Khalil Mack, who was selected to his ninth Pro Bowl last week, is the only player in the league with six or more sacks in each of the past 10 seasons. … LB Daiyan Henley led the team with 142 tackles after not starting a game as a rookie last season. … Rookie CB Tarheeb Still, a fifth-round pick, led the team with four interceptions. … S Derwin James had a career high 5½ sacks. … K Cameron Dicker set a franchise record with 39 field goals. … The Texans are in the postseason for a second straight season after winning the AFC South. … They beat the Browns 45-14 in the opening round last season before losing to Baltimore in the divisional round. … QB C.J. Stroud is the seventh player in NFL history with at least 3,500 yards passing and 20 TD passes in each of his first two seasons. He threw three touchdown passes without an interception in two playoff games last season. A win Saturday will make him the sixth quarterback in NFL history to start and win a playoff game in both of his first two seasons. … RB Dameon Pierce had a career-high 176 yards rushing, highlighted by a 92-yard TD run, last week. … WR Nico Collins led the Texans with 68 catches for 1,006 yards receiving in the regular season for his second straight 1,000-yard season. He ranks fourth in the NFL by averaging 83.8 yards receiving a game and has a TD reception in six of his past seven home games, including the playoffs. … Dalton Schultz joins Travis Kelce as the only tight ends in the NFL with at least 50 catches and 500 yards receiving in each of the past five seasons. He has a TD reception in three of his past four playoff games. … Hunter finished the regular season tied for fifth in the NFL with 12 sacks for his sixth season with at least 10 sacks. He has a sack and a forced fumble in both career games against the Chargers. He has at least one sack in four straight postseason games. … Anderson had a career-high 11 sacks this season. He had a tackle for loss in both playoff games last season. … CB Derek Stingley ranked second in the NFL with a career-high 18 passes defended in the regular season. … S Calen Bullock led all rookies with five interceptions this season.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
By The Associated Press
