Texans top Chargers to earn playoff spot, hand AFC West title to Broncos

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Houston Texans are riding a wave of momentum as the playoffs near. They're still alive in the race for the AFC South, a division they've won multiple times, and bolstered by the NFL's best defense, they're taking aim at earning their first berth in the AFC Championship Game.

C.J. Stroud threw for two long touchdowns on Houston's first two drives of the game, and the Texans went on to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-16 on Saturday to clinch a third consecutive playoff berth for the first time in franchise history.

"It's what you fight for during the season, for an opportunity to be in the playoffs and go win it all," Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said. "We earned that. It wasn't given to us. Our guys went out and earned it."

The Texans (11-5) won their eighth in a row, their longest such streak since winning nine straight in 2018.

"To do something like that in this league is not easy," rookie wide receiver Jaylin Noel said. "Any time you can stack wins like this is special and we just want to keep it going. The coaches are pushing us to get better and everybody in the locker room is pushing to get better."

The Chargers (11-5) had their four-game winning streak snapped and handed the AFC West title to idle Denver. They beat the first-place Broncos in Week 3, but blew a chance to set up a winner-take-all showdown in Denver in Week 18.

"That's what hurts the most," linebacker Daiyan Henley said. "We just didn't do it. We didn't have enough, but we'll take the loss now and make sure it doesn't happen again."

The Chargers got knocked out of the playoffs in a wild-card loss to Houston last season.

Stroud's two explosive TDs stunned the Chargers and gave Houston a 14-0 lead. On his first pass of the game, he hit rookie Jayden Higgins for a 75-yard score against busted coverage. Stroud wasn't pressured when he threw a 43-yard TD to Noel, who wasn't covered.

"The big plays to start the game was really great execution starting with the O-line," Ryans said. "It starts with great protection, and the guys did a great job there. They were two plays that helped us be in position to win."

The Chargers had allowed just one TD pass of 40 or more yards in their last 15 games.

"You're not going to beat nobody in this league spotting them 14 (points)," safety Derwin James Jr. said.

Stroud completed his first six throws of the game. He finished 16-of-28 for 244 yards and two interceptions.

Houston's defense forced third-down sacks of Justin Herbert on the Chargers' first two possessions. They were three-and-out on three of their first four possessions, quieting the SoFi Stadium crowd.

The Chargers were just 2-of-5 in the red zone.

"Just have to execute," Herbert said. "We've got to be able to convert on those third downs down there and have to score points. We got our opportunities, but it's on us to be able to execute those plays we put in."

Playing his third game with a broken left (non-throwing) hand, Herbert was 21-for-32 for 236 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked five times.

James intercepted Stroud in the second quarter, but the Chargers only managed a 27-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker on the turnover to trail 14-3. Another interception of Stroud failed to produce any points despite both miscues coming in Houston territory.

Herbert was intercepted by Azeez Al-Shaair at the Houston 1-yard line. The ball, intended for Oronde Gadsden, popped off his hands and Al-Shaair came down with it for his second interception of the season. Gadsden held his face in his hands on the bench.

Dicker missed a field goal from under 40 yards for the first time in his career just before halftime, leaving the Chargers trailing 14-3. He later was wide left to miss his first point after attempt of the season on the Chargers’ final drive after Omarion Hampton’s 5-yard TD run made it 20-16.

"Unforced errors on penalties, special teams, just everybody," James said. "We got to clean it up."

Ka'imi Fairbairn had field goals of 41 and 44 yards for Houston.

The Chargers closed to 17-10 after a wild drive in which Herbert was sacked twice and threw two incompletions before finding Gadsden in the back of the end zone for a 1-yard TD in the third.

Injuries

Texans: CB Kamari Lassiter (knee) left in the second quarter and later returned.

Chargers: RB Hassan Haskins was evaluated for a head injury in the fourth.

Up next

Texans: Play Indianapolis to end the regular season.

Chargers: Visit Denver to end the regular season.