Eric Murray (23) and the Texans’ defense frustrated Justin Herbert and the Chargers in a wild-card win. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
The Houston Texans weren’t particularly good in the second half of the season. They were just 4-5 after a 6-2 start, and looked like a team that was lucky to play in the weak AFC South.
But the Texans will be one of the last eight teams standing in this NFL season. Houston had a fantastic defensive game, C.J. Stroud made a few big plays to overcome some of the Texans’ offensive mistakes and Houston eliminated the Los Angeles Charges with a 32-12 win.
The Chargers were still in the game before Houston’s consistent pressure forced Justin Herbert into his worst mistake of the day. He threw high to Ladd McConkey even though he wasn’t under much pressure, it was picked off by Eric Murray and returned 38 yards for a touchdown. That play gave Houston a 20-6 lead and practically put the game away, because a sleepwalking Chargers offense wasn’t going to overcome that deficit.
Herbert threw four interceptions and was sacked four times in a nightmare game. Herbert threw just three interceptions the entire regular season.
Houston had a huge breakthrough last season and was predicted to do even more this season. It didn’t work out quite that way, but the Texans did have a pretty impressive playoff performance to stay alive.
Chargers stumble often vs. Texans
The Chargers were off to a fast start. They had a solid opening drive downfield, though it stalled and they settled for a field goal. But right after that Derwin James Jr. forced a fumble and the Chargers were in Texans territory again.
That’s about when the Texans defense dug in. The Chargers got only a field goal out of that possession, and it would be a long time before they scored again. The Texans pass rush controlled the game. Herbert played well late in the season but was horrible against Houston. A bad pass that Kamari Lassiter picked off downfield, one play after the Chargers defense picked off Stroud in Texans territory, was a big turning point in the first half.
On a fourth-and-2 in the second half, the Chargers decided to go for it and Quentin Johnston ran a route short of the first-down marker against All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. The pass was incomplete but Johnston would have been well short anyway, due to Stingley playing it perfectly. Every time the Chargers faced a big situation, the Texans out-executed them.
The Texans defense played like it had to make some big plays to make up for a struggling offense, and it accomplished that.
Even though the Chargers’ mistakes were keeping Houston in the game, Houston’s mistakes were keeping Los Angeles in the game as well. Joe Mixon lost a fumble on an ill-timed trick play. He was clearly looking to pass but tucked it when nobody was open and was stripped. It was his first lost fumble in 1,082 touches. The Texans seemed to throw an interception into the end zone, which would have been their fourth turnover, but replay showed that James didn’t catch it. Houston got lucky, and salvaged a field goal.
The Texans led 13-6 after that, and the defense made sure that lead held up.
Two INTs put the game away
The Chargers still had hope but two Herbert interceptions ruined any hopes of them winning.
The first pick was on Herbert. He seemed worried about the pass rush even though he wasn’t under much pressure, double clutched and threw a bad pass to McConkey. That was returned for a touchdown by Murray and put the Chargers in a big hole.
The second pick was the fault of tight end Will Dissly. Dissly’s second bad drop of the game was picked off by Stingley and returned deep into Chargers territory. A field goal put Houston up 23-6.
The Texans had run hot and cold on defense all season, but they were good on Saturday. The Chargers focused on building a strong offensive line, but the Texans got the best of it. Herbert was terrible when he was pressured on Saturday, and sometimes even when he was just worried about the pressure that wasn’t quite there yet. An 86-yard touchdown to McConkey, after the Texans had already taken control of the game, made Herbert’s day look a lot better. Even that play turned into a blooper, as the Chargers had the extra point blocked, kicker Cameron Dicker tried to knock it down —clearly not understanding it was still a live ball — and got hit hard after he did. The Texans picked up the loose ball and returned it for two points.
That summed up the game. The Chargers seemed oddly ill-prepared for their postseason opener. Houston wasn’t always great, particularly on offense, but got the win. The Texans haven’t had the season they were hoping for, but they still can make it a memorable one. If the defense keeps making plays like it did Saturday, they have a chance.
Live61 updates
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 6:30 AM GMT+5:30
FINAL: Texans 32, Chargers 12
Chargers
Total offense: 261 yardsJustin Herbert: 14/32, 242 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTJ.K. Dobbins: 9 carries, 26 yardsLadd McConkey: 9 catches, 197 yards, 1 TD
Texans
Total offense: 429 yardsC.J. Stroud: 22/32, 282 yards, 1 TD, 1 INTJoe Mixon: 25 carries, 106 yards, 1 TDNico Collins: 7 catches, 122 yards, 1 TD
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 6:26 AM GMT+5:30
Texans run the clock out after 2-minute warning
Dameon Pierce puts it away for the Texans with a 13-yard run on 2nd-and-8 after the 2-minute warning.
Two kneeldowns from C.J. Stroud and the game is over.
Texans 32, Chargers 12. Houston is on to the divisional round.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 6:20 AM GMT+5:30
Justin Herbert throws 4th interception
This game was already over, but the Chargers took another body blow with Justin Herbert’s fourth interception of the day.
Herbert looked for DJ Chark down the right sideline, but underthrew the ball and it was picked off by Derek Stingley. That is Stingley’s second INT of the day.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 6:16 AM GMT+5:30
Joe Mixon turns 4th-and-1 into touchdown
After Joe Mixon ran for eight yards on 3rd-and-9 from the Chargers’ 25, the Texans opt to go for it on 4th-and-1.
Mixon got the call again and not only got the first down, but added another 16 yards on his off-tackle run for a touchdown that put this game away.
Texans 32, Chargers 12 with 3:42 remaining in the fourth quarter.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 6:10 AM GMT+5:30
Joe Mixon mows down Deane Leonard with a stiff-arm
Joe Mixon was getting the first down, folks.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 6:08 AM GMT+5:30
Houston converts on 4th down
The Texans go for it on 4th-and-1 after C.J. Stroud is ruled short of a first down on the previous play. He gets two yards on a QB sneak for the first down.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 6:07 AM GMT+5:30
Texans grinding out the clock
It’s Joe Mixon time on this drive as Houston tries to run time off the clock.
Mixon gets six consecutive carries, gaining 22 yards.
C.J. Stroud appeared to have a first down on a nine-yard scramble on 2nd-and-8 from the Chargers’ 47. But he’s ruled short of the line to gain on the field and replay upheld the call.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:56 AM GMT+5:30
Texans get 2 points on blocked extra point return
Even when the Chargers score a touchdown, they can’t maintain any momentum. Cameron Dicker’s extra point kick is blocked and returned for two points by D’Angelo Ross.
Texans 25, Chargers 12 with 10:38 remaining in the fourth quarter.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:54 AM GMT+5:30
Ladd McConkey 86-yard TD
Are the Chargers back in this? After getting sacked on two consecutive plays to make it 3rd-and-26, Justin Herbert hits Ladd McConkey for an 86-yard catch and run.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:52 AM GMT+5:30
Justin Herbert sacked by unblocked Will Anderson
On 1st-and-10 from the Chargers’ 30, nobody blocks Will Anderson and he easily sacks Justin Herbert.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:50 AM GMT+5:30
Field goal: Texans 23, Chargers 6
After a nine-yard gain by Joe Mixon, C.J. Stroud is sacked for an eight-yard loss by Khalil Mack. That pushes Houston back to the Chargers’ 12-yard line and Stroud throws incomplete to Mixon on 3rd-and-9.
Ka’imi Fairbairn kicks a 30-yard field goal to give Houston a 23–
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:46 AM GMT+5:30
How Houston’s Pick 6 looked on Nickelodeon
In case you were curious how Nate Burleson, SpongeBob Squarepants and Patrick Star called Eric Murray’s Pick 6…
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:45 AM GMT+5:30
Texans get another interception
This one wasn’t Justin Herbert’s fault, but he throws another interception after his pass deflects off Will Dissly’s hands and is caught by Derek Stingley.
Stingley returns the interception 54 yards to the Chargers’ 13-yard line.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:39 AM GMT+5:30
Justin Herbert has been bad against pressure today
Justin Herbert is 1-of-10 for 17 yards vs. pressure today.
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) January 12, 2025
But at least he wasn’t slimed… ?
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:37 AM GMT+5:30
Texans get a Pick 6
The Chargers forced Houston into a 3-and-out. But on the first play of the next possession, Justin Herbert is picked off by Eric Murray and he runs it back for a touchdown.
Texans 20, Chargers 6 with 13 seconds left in the third quarter.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:35 AM GMT+5:30
CBS’ NFL crew gets slimed – sort of
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn got slimed on the Nickelodeon broadcast, albeit digitally.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:32 AM GMT+5:30
Another 3-and-out for Chargers
The Chargers can’t answer Houston’s field goal. Justin Herbert is sacked on 3rd-and-6 by Denico Autry for a six-yard loss and L.A. has to punt.
JK Scott kicks it 36 yards and the Texans take over at their 37-yard line.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:26 AM GMT+5:30
Field goal: Texans 13, Chargers 6
An offsides penalty on Joey Bosa with a 13-yard catch by Joe Mixon and 12-yard reception from Diontae Johnson moves Houston back into field goal range.
On 4th-and-10 from the L.A. 19, Ka’imi Fairbairn kicks a 37-yard field goal.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:24 AM GMT+5:30
2nd-and-40 for Houston
A holding penalty on Blake Fisher pushes the Texans back another 10 yards. Houston has a 2nd-and-40 from the Chargers’ 49-yard line.
- Sun, January 12, 2025 at 5:21 AM GMT+5:30
Derwin James interception overturned
Check that! On replay review, Derwin James was ruled to have not caught the ball on his interception.
However, Joe Mixon is called for an unnecessary roughness penalty on the play which pushes Houston back to the 39-yard line.