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An inspired performance by CJ Stroud and a 38-yard pick-six by Eric Murray propelled the Houston Texans to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs with a 32-12 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Wild Card weekend.
Stroud revived himself and the defeated Texans at the end of a mistake-strewn first half when he recovered a fumble, starting a drive that ended with him throwing a touchdown pass to Nic Collins.
The Texans scored 23 unanswered points against the struggling Chargers, who saw running back Justin Herbert throw four interceptions and be sacked four times.
Herbert threw just three interceptions the entire regular season and had never thrown more than two in a game before facing a Texas secondary led by cornerback Derek Stingley, who had two interceptions. Rookie Kamari Lassiter had the second pick.
Ladd McConkey’s incredible 86-yard touchdown run threatened to spark a Chargers charge late in the fourth quarter, but their hopes were dashed when Cameron Dicker’s extra point attempt was blocked and returned for two points by Texans cornerback D’Angelo Ross.
Statistics leaders
Los Angeles Chargers
- Passage: Justin Herbert, 14/32, 242 yards, 1 TD, 4 INT
- hurry: JK Dobbins, 9 carries, 26 yards
- Receiving: Ladd McConkey, 9 catches, 197 yards, 1 TD
Houston Texans
- Passage: CJ Stroud, 22/33, 282 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
- hurry: Joe Mixon, 25 carries, 106 yards, 1 TD
- Receiving: Nico Collins, 7 catches, 122 yards, 1 TD
CJ Stroud threw for one touchdown and 282 yards for the Houston Texans
Things looked bleak early on for the Texans, who fumbled on their first offensive play and trailed 6-0 with a minute left in the first half after two unanswered field goals by Dicker.
Deane Leonard intercepted Stroud early in the second quarter, but Lassiter picked off Herbert on the next play and gave Houston the ball back as defenses dominated the first half.
Stroud finally got something going for the Texans, a timely 34-yard gain after a missed punt that proved the turning point of the game as he capped a 14-play, 74-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Collins.
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CJ Stroud hands the ball off as he throws to Nico Collins for a touchdown after an incredible play by the running back.
With Ka’imi Fairbairn adding a 41-yard field goal, Houston had a 10-6 lead out of nowhere and the catalyst for what followed.
Another Fairbairn field goal followed before the Texans went up 20-6 when Murray scored his first career touchdown on a 38-yard interception return late in the third quarter.
Herbert was picked off again on the next drive when Stingley grabbed a pass that was dropped by tight end Will Dissly, setting up another Fairbairn field goal.
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The Houston Texans extend their lead against the Los Angeles Chargers as Justin Herbert throws a pick-six.
Herbert found McConkey for an 86-yard touchdown reception to cut the Chargers’ deficit to 23-12 in the fourth quarter, but Dicker’s extra point attempt was blocked and Ross made it 25-12. It was the first time such a play had been made in NFL postseason history.
Stingley intercepted Herbert again late in the fourth quarter in a night to forget for the Chargers quarterback before Mixon ran Houston’s lead out of reach at 32-12 with four minutes remaining on a 17-yard field goal.
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Justin Herbert throws for an 86-yard touchdown, but the Houston Texans block the extra point and successfully return it for two!
Mixon: Everyone counted us out
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon: “It took teamwork. It took all 54 of us. Everyone played a role, even from the training squad.
“Everyone here, we showed up for work and we showed up. Everyone counted us out, and we just put our heads down and got to work, and got the dub.”
The Houston Texans celebrate pick six
‘The result is against everything’
Sky Sports NFL’s Phoebe Schecter:
“This result was against everything. Herbert is one of the cleanest defenders in the game in terms of interceptions, but he made more tonight than he has all season.
“That’s what the playoffs do to you — big stages, big moments.”
What next?
The Texans will now advance to the divisional round of the playoffs next weekend, where their most likely opponents are back-to-back defending Super Bowl champions and the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs.
Wild Card weekend continues Sunday night when the Buffalo Bills host the Denver Broncos at 6 p.m., followed by the Green Bay Packers vs. the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Monday night then sees Sam Darnold’s Minnesota Vikings take on the Los Angeles Rams, kicking off at 1am in the early hours of Tuesday, live on Sky Sports.
