Texans advance with 32-12 win over Chargers

 By Elwyn Henderson

    The Houston Texans, AFC South winners for the second Division Championship in a row under Coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback CJ Stroud, returned to NRG Stadium in Houston Saturday for the first game of the 2025 Wild Card Weekend playoff games as they entertained the Los Angeles Chargers under first year Head Coach John Harbaugh.  Houston came in at 10-7 on the year and Los Angeles arrived with an 11-6 record for the season.  The Chargers were a 2.5 favorite to win the game and move on to face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs next weekend in the Divisional Round.  After the final play, Houston had garnered the victory by the score of 32-12 to move their record to 11-7 and advance to the Divisional Round for the second consecutive year. The loss ended the Chargers season and left them at 11-7.  Houston will almost certainly travel to KC next week to take on the Chiefs where they will be a big underdog.

     To begin the game Houston won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half.     Ka’Imi Fairbairn kicked the ball away and it was returned up to the Chargers 27 where Justin Herbert and his crew set up shop for their first possession of the day.

     LA moved the ball down to the Houston 17 where the Texans forced a 35-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker with 9:37 left in the first quarter.  The drive was 10 plays, 57 yards and took 5:23 off the clock resulting in an early 3-0 Chargers lead.

     Dicker’s kickoff after the 3-pointer went into the end zone and after a touchback out to the 30 CJ Stroud and the Houston offense took the field.  The first play was a pass that resulted in a fumbled that was recovered and advanced down to the Houston 33 and the Chargers were back on the offensive again.

     The Texans defense came up big when it had to and forced a 39-yard Dicker field goal with 6:35 left in the opening frame, increasing the LA lead to 6-0.  The drive was 6 plays, 12 yards and took 2:53.

     Houston began their second possession on their 30 after another touchback of Dicker’s kickoff.  The home team didn’t give up a fumble but they did suffer a three-and-out, forcing Tommy Townsend punt.  Sadly, Gilmer’s Kris Boyd was called for fair catch interference and resulting in Herbert and company setting up at their 31.

     Fortunately, Houston forced a punt on the second series of the possession.  Following a JK Scott punt Stroud brought the offense back on the field hoping the third time would be the charm.

     It didn’t happen however and Townsend punted from the Chargers 46 and the ball was fair caught at the 8 and Herbert brought his unit back on the field again.

     The defense got the job done and Stroud brought the offense back on the field at his 12 after another punt.  Sadly, on third down Stroud threw a pick to Deane Leonard at the Houston 40 and the offense was stalled once again.

     On the first play Herbert threw a deep ball that was intercepted by Kamari Lassiter at the Houston 10 and the Texans got yet another chance to get the offense rolling.  The offense was stagnant again and Townsend punted away after another three-and-out. The kick was downed at the Chargers 17 and the visitors went to work again.

     Herbert led his team up to the 44 but Houston forced a punt on 4th down of the second series.  The kick was downed at the 1 and Houston took over there with 6:15 left in the first half hoping they could find some offense.

     Things didn’t look like that would happen as Stroud fumbled the ball.  Somehow he managed to get control and throw off balanced to Xavier Hutchinson for a 34-yard completion to get the drive going.  It concluded when Stroud hit Nico Collins on a 13-yard TD pass with 58 seconds left in the half. Fairbairn added the PAT and Houston had an improbable 7-6 lead.  The drive was 13 plays, 99 yards and took 5:17.

     The Charges began their final drive of the half at their 30 after a touchback of Fairbairn’s kickoff.

     It was a quick three-and-out and Houston got one last chance at their 32 with 27 seconds left in the half and all 3 timeouts remaining.

     Stroud led the offense down the field with precision passing and a long run.  The team took their final time out with 6 seconds left in the half.  Fairbairn successfully booted a 41-yard field goal with 3 ticks left on the clock, putting the home team up 10-6.  The drive was 5 plays, 45 yards and took 24 seconds off the clock.

     Fairbairn’s kickoff was brought out across the 20 and the half ended.

     Houston got the ball to begin the second half and they were moving toward another score when Joe Mixon fumbled the ball at the 26 and the Chargers recovered.

     The Texans came up big on defense on the possession as they took over on downs at their 35.  Houston was moving again when it appeared that Derwin James, Jr intercepted Stroud in the end zone.  He ran the ball out to the 45as moved back  but after a review the pass was incomplete and Houston maintained possession.  Unfortunately, they were flagged with a personal foul and the ball was moved back to the LA 39 and Houston faced a 2nd and 30 from that point.

     The offense managed to move the ball down to the19 and on 4th down Fairbairn came in to try a 37-yard field goal.  The kick was good and Houston moved ahead 13-6 with 4:48 left in the third quarter.  The drive was 10 plays, 46 yards and took 5:22 off the third quarter clock.

     The return of Fairbairn’s next kickoff was up to the 29 and Herbert took the field with his offense again hoping to find the end zone and tie the game up.  It didn’t happen as the Texans defense played well and after a punt Stroud brought the offense back at their 37 to try to add to the lead.  Unfortunately, it was a quick three-and-out and after a short punt the Chargers were back on offense at their 28.

     On the first play of the possession Herbert was intercepted by Eric Murray at the Houston 28 and returned the ball into the end zone for a pick-6 with 13 seconds left in the half.  Fairbairn added the extra point and Houston led 20-6.

     After a touchback of the ensuing kickoff the visitors set up at their 30.  Herbert threw an interception to Derek Stingley, Jr at the Houston 32 and he returned the pick down to the Chargers 12 and the Texans were in a great position to put the game on ice.

     The drive bogged down and on 4th down Fairbairn kicked a 30-yard field goal to push the lead to 23-6 with exactly 12 minutes left in the game.  The drive was 4 plays, 1 yard and took 1:44.

     The next kickoff resulted in another touchback out to the 30 and Herbert led his guys on the field knowing they HAD to get a TD on the drive in order to realistically have a shot at making a comeback.

     They did that in a most unusual way.  Herbert was dropped for consecutive losses and then hit Ladd McConkey on an 86-yard TD pass with 10:38 left in the game, moving the score to 23-12. Then there was another odd turn of events as Denico Autry blocked Dicker’s extra point attempt and D’Angelo Ross grabbed the ball and returned it into the Chargers end zone for 2 points for the Texans, moving the score to 25-12.

     Hutchinson returned Dicker’s kickoff out to the 26 and Houston was on the move again.  Stroud led the team on a 74-yard drive in 6:46 and 14 plays and into the end zone again with 3:42 left in the game.  The score came on a 17-yard Joe Mixon run.  Fairbiarn’s extra point was good and Houston officially wrapped up the game, taking a 32-12 lead.

     After a touchback the Chargers began at their 30 hoping to make the final score more respectable.

     The managed to get one first down and on the next series Stingley grabbed his second pick of the day at his 20 and returned the ball up to the 33 with 2:43 left in the game.  Stroud and the offense managed to run out the clock, moving Houston on to the Divisional Round next week.

     An elated Coach DeMeco Ryans addressed the media after the big win and gave a strong opening statement.

     “Just first off, as always want to give glory, honor, and praise to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Man, what an awesome opportunity we had to to play a playoff game here at home. Just thankful for all our guys and the effort, the way they played today. That’s the complementary football that we have been looking for and we been needing as a team. Just outstanding performance on all three phases. Really proud of all our guys. I can go through each position group, everybody stepped up and made a play when we needed to make plays. Our best players stepped up and made big plays for us to win this game. And none other than C.J. [Stroud] Just want to make sure he gets the love that he deserves. Like the play that he made on the fumble snap and throw to Hutch [WR Xavier Hutchinson], that’s the play that sparked our entire — not our offense, but our entire team. Seeing the way all our guys responded after he made the play. Then to come back with another big scramble on the next drive, just outstanding performance by C.J.”

     When Stroud came in for his presser with the media he was asked what it meant to him winning another playoff game in his second year.

     “I’m just so blessed man. Just so thankful for my God who I serve, Jesus Christ. Just having an opportunity to play another wildcard game here in Houston and get a win. Our crowd was rocking. It’s an honor and privilege to be able to be in these shoes. I don’t take it for granted. I’m so grateful and amazed how the Lord has uplifted this team. It hasn’t always been easy this year, but this is just another thing that we can use to motivate us even more to get to the divisional round, whoever we play and play well there. Amazing though. I’m so happy and so blessed.”

     Next week will be a HUGE test for the Texans when they go up against the well rested 15-2 Kansas City Chiefs who will be beginning their trek toward a three-peat as Super Bowl Champions.