The Houston Texans are set to face the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round of the playoffs. The Chargers, seeded No. 5 after a strong finish to the season, had a surprising rise in standings, benefitting from the Ravens' victory over the Browns and their own triumph against the Raiders. Meanwhile, the Texans are coming off a mixed bag of results, having lost to the Ravens in a blowout, yet secured a win against the Titans in their final game.
The matchup against the Chargers is anticipated to be challenging, especially given their formidable defense, which leads the league in fewest points allowed. The Texans' offense has struggled, particularly in the red zone, which could be a critical factor in this playoff clash.
With the Chargers boasting elite pass rushers like Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, the Texans' offensive line, including standout left tackle Laremy Tunsil, will need to perform at its best to protect rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. For Houston to advance, they must improve in limiting negative plays against a Chargers team that has effectively capitalized on turnovers this season.
