Too Little, Too Late: Chargers’ Late Push Falls Short vs Texans

The Chargers have leaned on their defense all season long, and Saturday night was no different against C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans.

With 2:32 left in the fourth quarter, Stroud faced 3rd-and-9 from his own 46-yard line when Odafe Oweh and Daiyan Henley brought him down for a sack. Referees blew the play dead and signaled a penalty on the Chargers defense, allowing the Texans to maintain their 20-16 lead and ultimately clinch a playoff spot.

For the Chargers, the loss eliminated them from AFC West contention, as the Denver Broncos clinched the division crown, ending a 10-year run by the Kansas City Chiefs.

This loss was on all three phases.

The defense surrendered 14 quick points, the offense couldn’t find a rhythm until late in the third quarter, and Cameron Dicker missed both a field goal and an extra point.

Dicker missed his first kick inside the 40-yard line of his career, and it came at a crucial moment of the season. Typically sure-footed, he even earned a Pro Bowl nod earlier in the week.

“It’s a bummer to miss those opportunities,” Dicker said. “But it’s a part of life, so you move on. God’s still good. I get another chance to kick next week, so we’ll go from there.”

Here’s how the game played out:

Three plays into the game, the Chargers suffered their worst blown coverage of the season when Stroud dropped back and found a wide-open Jayden Higgins downfield for a 75-yard touchdown. Higgins walked into the end zone to give Houston an early 7-0 lead.

On the Chargers’ first drive, they faced 3rd-and-5 from their own 40-yard line when Danielle Hunter blew past Bobby Hart—who had shifted from right to left tackle—for the first sack of the game. Justin Herbert came up favoring his left hand.

Stroud continued his hot start, marching the Texans down the field in four plays thanks to a 13-yard completion to Higgins and a 10-yard gain to Xavier Hutchinson before finishing the drive with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Jaylin Noel, who was wide open—much like Higgins on the opening score. Stroud opened the game 4-for-4 for 142 yards and two touchdowns on Houston’s first two drives.

"Miscommunication not communicating all the way, " Chargers safety Derwin James said. "It is on us."

Entering Saturday, the Chargers defense had allowed only two passing touchdowns of 30-plus air yards through the first 16 weeks of the season. They matched that total on the Texans’ first two possessions.

"You see those first two touchdowns, and you can assume how you think the game is going to go," Henley said. "But for us as a defense, our coaches, we gathered ourselves, gathered our thoughts, gather our bodies, and we didn't let it take over the rest of the game. We just wanted to make sure that we just gave ourselves, our team, an opportunity to make plays. And I feel like that's what we did as a unit."

The Chargers picked up a first down on an 8-yard pass to Tre Harris on 3rd-and-3, but two plays later Herbert was sacked on 3rd-and-5 by Will Anderson and Sheldon Rankins. On three dropbacks, Herbert was taken down twice.

Both teams exchanged punts on their next possessions.

On the following Texans drive, Stroud faced 3rd-and-7 from his own 20 and found Nico Collins for a 15-yard gain. Four plays later, he connected with tight end Dalton Schultz for eight yards. As Schultz sat on the turf, Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart tapped him on the helmet. Schultz stood up and shoved Tart, who sold the contact and drew a 15-yard penalty. That pushed Houston back to 3rd-and-17, which the Texans failed to convert.

After a Chargers three-and-out, Stroud faced 3rd-and-5 from his own 41 when a pass intended for Higgins was tipped by defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand and intercepted by James, who returned it seven yards.

Jordon Kelly-The Sporting Tribune

Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) runs to the end zone to celebrate after intercepting the ball during a NFL game against the Houston Texans on December 027, 2025 at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.

Herbert then moved the offense with a 17-yard screen pass to Omarion Hampton on 2nd-and-5, taking the ball from the Houston 32 to the 15. An end-around to Harris gained seven yards, but the red-zone creativity stalled. After a one-yard loss by Hampton, Herbert scrambled right and threw the ball away. The Chargers settled for a 27-yard Dicker field goal to cut the deficit to 14-3.

After a Houston punt, Herbert faced 3rd-and-13 from his own 26 and connected with Quentin Johnston for a 60-yard gain to the Texans’ 14-yard line. On the next play, Herbert’s pass to tight end Oronde Gadsden was tipped into the air and intercepted by linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair at the goal line.

On the ensuing Texans possession, Woody Marks broke a 19-yard run on 2nd-and-8 to move Houston to the 22. Two plays later, pressure from Oweh forced Stroud to underthrow a pass intended for Christian Kirk, which was intercepted by Elijah Molden.

Once again, the Chargers offense came away empty in the red zone after Dicker missed a 32-yard field goal.

Despite two interceptions, the Chargers managed just three points off turnovers and finished the first half with three red-zone trips producing only three points. The defense settled in after the early touchdowns, forcing two turnovers and three punts.

Houston’s defense dominated the first half with three sacks, four tackles for loss, two passes defended, and a red-zone interception.

Coming out of halftime, the Texans defense remained aggressive. On the opening drive, Herbert avoided two sacks on 3rd-and-4 and found Gadsden for a first down, but safety Calen Bullock dislodged the ball for an incompletion.

On the next drive, Herbert was sacked on consecutive dropbacks by Derek Barnett. Facing 3rd-and-22, the Chargers settled for a screen pass to Hampton that gained just seven yards.

Punter JK Scott then put the defense in a difficult position with a 22-yard punt, giving Houston the ball at the Chargers’ 47-yard line.

The Chargers defense held firm after a 23-yard catch-and-run by Collins, forcing Ka’imi Fairbairn to kick a 41-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-3.

The next drive showcased Herbert’s determination.

On 3rd-and-3 from their own 43, Herbert evaded pressure and found Keenan Allen for 17 yards. Two plays later, facing 3rd-and-14, Herbert took off running and powered through defenders for a 28-yard gain. On 3rd-and-6, Rankins wrapped Herbert by the leg, but Herbert still completed an 8-yard pass to Johnston for another first down. One play later, Herbert found Gadsden in the end zone to cut the deficit to 17-10.

After a defensive stop, Texans punter Tommy Townsend pinned the Chargers at their own two-yard line.

Facing 3rd-and-11 from the one, Herbert scrambled and at the last second flipped a pass to tight end Will Dissly for an 18-yard gain. The drive stalled, and Scott’s 34-yard punt again set Houston up near midfield. As Scott came off the field, Jim Harbaugh spoke with him.

The Chargers defense forced another stop, but Fairbairn converted a 44-yard field goal to make it 20-10.

On the next drive, Herbert found Ladd McConkey wide open for a 31-yard gain along the left sideline. A sack was negated by an illegal contact penalty on safety Jalen Pitre. Herbert then connected with Gadsden for 25 yards before another sack was wiped out by a defensive holding call on Al-Shaair. Two plays later, Hampton scored on a 5-yard touchdown run. Dicker missed the extra point, leaving the score at 20-16.

The Chargers were unable to get the ball back, as the Texans ran out the clock with a kneel-down.

The looming question after the loss is whether Harbaugh will rest Herbert next week in Denver, with the Chargers no longer in the AFC West race. Currently they sit as the 7th seed but they would need a Buffalo or Houston loss to try and climb up. Might be best to sit guys.

"Bad taste in our mouths," James said. "At the end of the day our end goal is still out there."

After being hit eight times and sacked five times, it may be wise to prioritize Herbert’s health heading into the postseason.

The Chargers will have to take this one on the chin—especially after scoring just three points in the first half and leaving four points on the field via special teams.

They battled on both sides of the ball, but it wasn’t enough. Now, their focus shifts to the playoffs.