The Chargers face off against the Texans in the wild-card round on Saturday afternoon.
To preview the matchup, here are some key things to know about Houston.
How Houston finished the regular season
The Texans finished as champions of the AFC South with a 10-7 record. Houston struggled down the stretch, losing three of its final five games.
Stroud’s struggles
Quarterback C.J. Stroud was outstanding in his first year as a pro, winning 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year. However, Stroud took a step back in Year 2. Some of it involved losing wide receiver Stefon Diggs early in the season, missing Nico Collins for a few games, and then losing Tank Dell last month. But he wasn’t as accurate as he was in his rookie campaign and was often under pressure. He was sacked 52 times (second-most in the NFL) and threw 12 interceptions.
Gotta slow Joe
The Chargers have been stout against the run recently, ranking fourth in the past three weeks as they’ve allowed just 81.7 rushing yards per game. They must remain stout against running back Joe Mixon. Mixon finished the regular season with 1,016 yards, 11 touchdowns, and an average of 4.1 yards per carry.
Beware of the pressure
The Chargers’ offensive line must be on its A-game against a Texans defensive line that has lived in opposing backfields this season. Houston has a franchise-best 49 sacks this year, tied for the fourth-most in the NFL. Offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt will be accounting for edge defenders Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson, Jr., who have 12 and 11 sacks, respectively.
Other notes
- The Texans are 26th in red zone offense and 27th in red zone defense.
- Houston has the sixth-best passing defense, allowing 201.0 yards per game.
- The Texans have the fifth-most takeaways (29).
- Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and safety Calen Bullock each have five interceptions.
- Wide receiver Nico Collins topped 1,000 receiving yards.
