Texans force Justin Herbert into nightmare day, dominate Chargers in wild-card win

  • Total offense: 261 yards
  • Justin Herbert: 14/32, 242 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTJ.K. Dobbins: 9 carries, 26 yards
  • Ladd 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 TD
  • Nico Collins: 7 catches, 122 yards, 1 TD
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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–
  • 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.

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… ?
  • 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.
  • Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn got slimed on the Nickelodeon broadcast, albeit digitally.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

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