Tag: Texans vs. Chargers

Texans QB C.J. Stroud delivers plan on how to defeat Chiefs

The Houston Texans have to believe first that a win is on the horizon against the Kansas City Chiefs.

There’s a plan for Houston Texans to pull off a feat that only Tom Brady and Joe Burow have accomplished since 2018.

Once January rolls around, the Kansas City Chiefs look unstoppable. Well, Patrick Mahomes at least does since he’s only lost twice in the AFC playoffs since being named the starting quarterback in 2018.

Three times if you include the Super Bowl.

Everything starts with correcting the little things. The Texans (11-7) eliminated their self-inflicting wounds during the second half of Saturday’s wild-card round win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

There also has to be an internal buy-in. Houston is one of seven teams remaining in the hut for a Super Bowl. That should be motivation enough.

“You usually don’t play that long unless you make it to the championship. That’s kind of how it feels,” Stroud said. “It’s cool because we get another week to hang out with one another and go spend time together off the field. These types of games, it’s about who stays tight-knit because crazy things happen in the playoffs. Just like last week, crazy things happen. Whoever can gel together is usually the one to win.”

Securing a win is common for Houston in the wild-card round. After shoring up a double-digit victory over the Chargers, the Texans improved to 6-2 all-time in the postseason’s first weekend.

It’s Round 2 where struggles reside for the AFC South champions. The Texans are 0-5 in the divisional round, most recently falling short last season of making the AFC title against top-seeded Baltimore.

Before that, Houston blew a 24-0 first-quarter lead against Mahomes en route to a 51-31 loss. Mahomes would go on to secure his first Super Bowl title three weeks later with a win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Weather is expected to be a slight factor at kickoff, but nothing too serious compared to the windchill out in Buffalo. Stroud, who started two seasons at Ohio State, said playing in Columbus prepared him for the cold weather, though it differs from playing in wet.

“It’s better than playing when it’s wet,” Stroud said. “And then it snows, which is better than if it rains.”

Kickoff from Arrowhead Stadium is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Injury status of Texans TE Cade Stover revealed

Cade Stover will undergo season-ending surgery following the Texans’ wild-card round win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Houston Texans rookie tight end Cade Stover’s 2024 season is officially over.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans revealed that Stover suffered a shoulder injury during Saturday’s wild-card round win over the Los Angeles Chargers and would require season-ending surgery.

The Texans placed the Ohio State product on the injured reserve.

According to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, Stover suffered a broken collarbone. He’s expected to be back for offseason workouts and should be at 100% before the start of OTAs.

A fourth-round pick, Stover caught 15 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown in 15 games. In Saturday’s wild-card round win, he caught four passes for 28 yards.

After waiving receiver Diontae Johnson, Houston must now fill two roster spots. In Stover’s place, veteran tight end Teagan Quitorinao should be the secondary option after returning to practice last week.

He’s been a reliable No. 3 option in the passing game and should see his role expand in the red zone. He hasn’t been added back to the 53-man roster, so its seems like one spot could be filled.

The Texans hit the road to take on the Kansas City Chiefs this Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN and ABC.

Here’s why the Texans waived WR Diontae Johnson after two games

Dionate Johnson’s time with the Houston Texans was short-lived, here’s why.

Diontae Johnson wanted to help the Houston Texans win a Super Bowl.

Instead, he’ll be looking for fifth fifth team within 13 months.

In a surprise move, the Texans waived the veteran wide receiver just three weeks after claiming him off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens. He’s an impending free agent after the year, so only a team remaining in the playoffs could claim him for a run to New Orleans.

Johnson played in only two games with the Texans, including Saturday’s AFC wild-card playoff win against the Chargers, after joining the team right before Week 17’s Christmas Day matchup against his former team.

He finished with three catches for 24 yards and played in roughly 15 total snaps.

But why did the Texans waive the Pro Bowl receiver? Multiple reasons factored in, but one likely outweighed the rest.

Following Houston’s 32-12 win over Los Angeles, Johnson was seen visibly upset in the locker room after presumably rarely being involved in the offense personnel. Meanwhile, everyone else was celebrating the double-digit victory to expand the season by another week.

Several teammates, including Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, were seen trying to talk to him with media present for interviews.

When Johnson was claimed off waivers, there were rumors that Johnson’s attitude hindered his success with the Ravens, leading to his suspension and eventual release. He refused to play in a game with Baltimore against the Eagles because of his lack of involvement in the offense earlier in the game.

According to the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander, that was a problem with the Carolina Panthers, too. Reportedly, Johnson “couldn’t get out of his own way” during his seven games with the Panthers to begin 2024.

The Texans now have two open spots on their roster ahead of the matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round. They’ll likely bring up tight end Teagan Quitoriano, who returned from the injured reserve but hasn’t been added to the 53-man roster, for one of the spots.

The other spot remains a mystery.

The Texans liked the potential of Johnson and needed a veteran receiver to pair with Nico Collins after Tank Dell suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 16. The hope was for Johnson to create separation and better the passing game.

Instead, Houston is back to trusting John Metchie III, Robert Woods and Xavier Hutchinson for Saturday’s matchup against Kansas City at Arrowhead.

As for Johnson, who knows what the future holds, but there’s no love lost in Houston.

Texans QB C.J. Stroud leads all passers in wild-card round performance

C.J. Stroud is leading the pack of remaining QBs in passing yards following his epic day against the Chargers.

For as bad of a season that C.J. Stroud had in the public eye during his sophomore campaign, he seems to be hot in the playoffs. At least that’s what the numbers say after the wild-card round.

The Houston Texans second-year passer led all quarterbacks with 282 passing yards in a 32-12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday to advance to the divisional round.

Buffalo Bills gunslinger Josh Allen, who guided the AFC East champions to a victory over the Denver Broncos, finished second with 10 fewer yards.

Stroud, who also threw a touchdown pass and an interception, really found his mojo after a 34-yard fumble recovery-turned-completion to Xavier Hutchinson. That was the start of a 99-yard drive capped off with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Nico Collins, thus giving Houston a 7-6 lead.

The Texans (11-7) never trailed the rest of the afternoon in what could be the final home game at NRG Stadium. They scored 23 unanswered points before Los Angeles ever found its way back.

Stroud also finished with a 66.7% completion rating and a 90.7 passer rating.

“People always see our mountaintops, but one thing that people don’t understand there are valleys, too, times just going through it. In my life, I’m very grateful for both,” Stroud said postgame. “I haven’t always been that way, but my character is being built as I continue to play this great game. I’m really blessed to have the teammates I have.”

The Texans travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CT.

Texans QB C.J. Stroud makes NFL history in Wild Card victory over Chargers

C.J. Stroud is back in the history books after helping the Houston Texans secure another wild-card round win.

C.J. Stroud made history last postseason with his three-touchdown outing against the Cleveland Browns.

Something about wild-card weekend brings out the best in the Houston Texans’ passer.

Stroud, who guided the Texans to a 32-12 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday at NRG Stadium, became the sixth quarterback in league history to win playoff starts in each of his first two NFL seasons.

He joins Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger (2004-05), Baltimore Ravens’ Joe Flacco (2008-09), New York Jets’ Mark Sanchez (2009-10), Seattle Seahawks’ Russell Wilson (2012-13) and San Francisco 49ers Brock Purdy (2022-23) as other gunslingers to accomplish the feat.

“It’s an honor and privilege to be able to be in these shoes. I don’t take it for granted,” Stroud said following their double-digit win since Week 11. “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.”

Stroud started slow. The Texans fumbled on the first play of their opening drive after John Metchie III was stripped-sacked by Alohi Gilman. Two drives later, he threw an interception right in front of head coach DeMeco Ryans.

But it’s about how you finish rather than start. Stroud regained himself and stepped up after muffing a snap to connect with Xavier Hutchinson for a 34-yard gain.

After that, everyone was bought in and ready to go to work.

“That’s the play that sparked our entire team,” Ryans said.

Stroud went on to help Houston take the lead, finding Nico Collins for the game’s first touchdown. He later led three more scoring drives, including one before halftime thanks to a 27-yard scramble.

Looking back, Stroud remembered the energy turning its direction until the end of the right.

“After we made the completion, I looked to the sidelines and everybody was turnt up, so that turnt me up,” Stroud said.

Stroud finished 22-of-33 passing for 282 yards with one TD and one interception. Running back Joe Mixon extended Houston’s with a 17-yard touchdown to give Houston a 32-12 advantage with about four minutes to go.

“That’s the complementary football that we been looking for and we been needing as a team,” Ryans said.  “Just outstanding performance on all three phases. Really proud of all our guys.” 
Houston hits the road to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round next week.

Nico Collins makes Texans’ history in wild-card round win over Chargers

Nico Collins is into the end zone and into the Houston Texans’ history books.

DeAndre Hopkins once surpassed Houston Texans Hall of Fame receiver Andre Johnson en route to making playoff history.

It was only a matter of time before Nico Collins took up the mantle as the new face of Houston’s postseason.

That moment arrived on Saturday afternoon midway through the fourth quarter.

Collins totaled 122 yards on seven catches, including a 13-yard touchdown in the second quarter, as the Texans secured a 32-12 wild-card win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

The yardage total surpassed  Hopkins’ 118 in 2019’s divisional-round collapse against the Kansas City Chiefs. Coincidentally, that happened to be Hopkins’ last game in a Texans uniform before he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in the offseason.

That won’t be something Houston fans will endure this offseason as Collins and the Texans prepare for their rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round next weekend.

“It’s a blessing,” Collins said of the play. “D-Hop, that boy is special man. Him and (Johnson). So, it’s great to be past that. Them two dudes I still watch ’til this day.”

After a quiet first quarter, Collins exploded to give Houston momentum in the second quarter. After C.J. Stroud found Xavier Hutchinson for a 34-yard pickup, Collins won his one-on-one battle against Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton in man coverage and propelled his way into Los Angeles’ red zone for a 37-yard gain.

Two plays later, the slant route got the best of Fulton for the touchdown and eventual 7-6 lead.

“That dude right there, he’s really elevated himself as an NFL number one receiver,” Stroud said. “He shows that week in and week out. I’m just so happy for that guy. I think this is just the start for him as well.”

Collins, who inked a three-year, $72.5 million extension before OTAs, was on pace to lead the league in receiving yards after the first five games, but a hamstring injury sidelined him for over a month.

When he returned, the fourth-year pro only totaled one 100-yard outing to close out the regular season. While he managed to surpass 1,000 yards on the campaign, the outcome was different from what fans envisioned after his breakout start.

But Stroud said Collins was “born out the womb great.” Whenever he needed a big-time play, there was the 6-foot-4 star to come up clutch.

“I’m just so happy for that guy and I think this is just the start for him as well,” Stroud said. “He had another 1,000-yard season and he’s still hungry for more. He’s still in here every day working on his body. He’s hungrier than ever.”

Like Stroud, who became the fifth quarterback to win multiple playoff games in their first two seasons, Collins made history.
He wants to make more in the coming weeks with a shot at the Super Bowl in the works.

“I got to continue to go, continue to keep making plays for this team and keep being myself at the end of the day,” Collins said. “I feel like that’s the most important part.”

Texans now know opponent for AFC Divisional Round

The Houston Texans are heading back to Arrowhead Stadium.

It’s a rematch from Week 16.

The Houston Texans, who rolled past the Los Angeles Chargers in a 32-12 victory at NRG Stadium on Saturday, will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the AFC Playoffs.

The game will be either Jan. 18 or 19 but has not yet been scheduled.

Buffalo’s 31-7 victory over Denver on Sunday sent Houston to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the top-seeded Chiefs. The Texans, which picked off Chargers Justin Herbert four times, were the No. 4 seed after winning the AFC South, making them the lowest seed remaining.

Should the Texans pull off the upset over Patrick Mahomes and the top-seeded Chiefs, they’ll travel to take on the winner of Buffalo and Baltimore in two weeks for a shot at the Super Bowl.

It is the same final four for the AFC as last season, though Kansas City played Buffalo while the Ravens hosted the Texans. This also marks the first time a repeat of the team since 2011-12 when it was the Patriots, Ravens, Broncos, and Texans.

Houston will have a chance to avenge a 27-19 loss and honor a fallen teammate. Wide receiver Tank Dell was lost for the season after being carted off during the third quarter with a knee injury.

And let’s not forget what happened the last time the Texans played Kansas City in the postseason. The Texans took a 24-0 lead only to allow the Chiefs 28 points in the second quarter, resulting in a 51-31 eventual victory.

Texans-Chargers Wild Card Round: Offense, defense and special teams snap counts

The Houston Texans extended their season by another week with a victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on wild-card weekend.

While Rex Ryan is eating crow, the Houston Texans are eating playoff wins.

Behind a four-turnover afternoon from the defense, the Texans secured a 32-12 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round at NRG Stadium.

The Texans, who improved to 6-2 all-time on wild-card round weekend, await the outcome of Sunday’s matchup between the Bills and Broncos to determine where they’ll head in the divisional round.

“Our defense, they dominated today,” Texans coach DeMeco  Ryans said. “That’s who we want to be. They played our brand of football. They stopped the run first. That’s what I’m most proud of is how we stop the run. And when we stop the run, you make a team one-dimensional, and that’s when our defensive line just causes havoc.”

The defense did deliver in all three phases. Outside of Ladd McConkey, the Chargers’ offense was dormant for four quarters. Justin Herbert never could build a rapport with his other playmakers, thus leading to forced passes at ill-advised times.

Herbert’s first interception landed in the arms of Kamari Lassiter on a deep shot in the red zone. His second turnover resulted in a 36-yard return for a touchdown from Eric Murray.

The final two picks landed in the hands of All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., who spent most of his afternoon defending the Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate.

On one of the few plays he didn’t guard him, McConkey went off for an 87-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.

Herbert was also sacked four times, including twice from Will Anderson Jr.

“We were just being tight with our rush,” Anderson said. “They were sticky in coverage, and we were just able to make some plays, get some turnovers and take the ball away.”

Here are the snap counts from both teams.

Offensive Snaps: 73

Defensive Snaps: 56

Special Teams Snaps: 19

If the Broncos win, the Texans head to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. Should the Bills win, Houston returns to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Instant analysis: Texans notch 4 turnovers, secure 32-12 win over Chargers in wild-card round

The Houston Texans are headed back to the AFC Divisional Round following a wild-card round win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Rex Ryan might have been on a break.

The Houston Texans were only heating up.

Behind a four-interception afternoon from Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, including a 38-yard pick-six from Eric Murray, the Houston Texans were the first to punch their ticket to the AFC Divisional Round with a 32-12 victory at NRG Stadium.

The 32-point swing marked the most points scored by the Texans since the 34-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.

After a sluggish offensive start, C.J. Stroud got into a rhythm. It took a muffed snap and an eventual 34-yard pass to Xavier Hutchinson to kick the offense into high gear. Houston (11-7) capped off its 99-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Stroud to Nico Collins.

Stroud finished with 282 passing yards and a touchdown pass against one interception. Collins, who caught seven passes for 122 yards, surpassed DeAndre Hopkins as the all-time single-game leader in receiving yards for a playoff game.

Herbert constantly was under pressure thanks to a potent pass rush headlined by Will Anderson Jr. His 2.5 sacks mark the most by a Texans player since J.J. Watt in 2019’s wild-card round matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

Herbert’s first interception was on a deep pass to rookie Kamari Lassiter in the second quarter. His second came in the third quarter, leading to Murray’s return and Houston’s two-score lead.

The Pro Bowler was picked off again on the ensuing drive while trying to find tight end Will Dissly, only this time by Derek Stingley Jr. Two drives later, Stingley called ballgame with his second pick of the half.

Herbert finished 14-of-32 passing for 242 yards with a 40.9 passer rating.

Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon was named the “NVP” by Nickelodeon after rushing for 106 yards on 25 carries. His 17-yard touchdown run with 3:43 left was the icing on the cake for the afternoon.

The Texans now await the winners of the rest of the wild-card weekend to determine where they’ll play in the divisional round.

WATCH: Texans CB Derek Stingley picks off Justin Herbert…again

The Houston Texans have shut the door of any comeback from the Los Angeles Chargers.

Did you hear that Justin Herbert threw an interception?

Did you hear that he threw four in one game?

That’s one more than he had during the regular season as the Los Angeles Chargers’ x-factor on offense.

Derek Stingley, the Houston Texans’ shutdown cornerback, came away with another pick to seal the 32-12 victory at NRG Stadium on Saturday evening.

Here’s a clip of the game-sealing turnover.

The Texans await the results of the remainder of the weekend before knowing where they’ll travel on wild-card round weekend.