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The Texans got off to a slow start Saturday afternoon, but used a strong second-half performance to defeat the Chargers 32-12 and advance to the divisional round.
Houston was down 6-0 late in the second quarter, but a broken play sparked the offense and changed the energy of the contest. CJ Stroud had trouble hitting, but was still able to roll right and find Xavier Hutchinson for a 34-yard gain on third-and-16 to move the chains.
Stroud ended that possession with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Nico Collins, giving the Texans a 7-6 lead.
Houston would not be far behind.
Ka’imi Fairbairn added a field goal late in the second quarter and a field goal in the third quarter to give Houston a 13-6 lead. Then Eric Murray made the game-changing play, taking the interception 38 yards for a pick-six.
Justin Herbert has thrown just three interceptions all season, but had four on Saturday while battling a stout Houston defense. He finished the contest just 14-of-32 for 242 yards with a touchdown and four picks.
His one touchdown pass came early in the fourth quarter when he hit receiver Ladd McConkey over the middle for an 86-yard touchdown. But the extra point was blocked and returned by cornerback D’Angelo Ross for a two-point conversion on the defensive end.
Joe Mixon then put the game on ice with a 17-yard run with 3:42 left in the fourth. He finished with 106 yards on 25 carries.
Stroud finished the contest 22-of-33 for 282 yards with a touchdown and a pick. He also rushed six times for 42 yards. According to CBS, Stroud now joins Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Mark Sanchez, Russell Wilson and Brock Purdy as the only quarterbacks to win a playoff game in each of their first two seasons.
Collins led the way with seven catches for 122 yards with a TD.
While the Chargers struggled to get going offensively – the club finished with 261 yards – McConkey finished with nine catches for 197 yards. He set a new rookie record for receiving yards in a single game, surpassing Puck Natsu’s 188 in last year’s wild card game against Detroit.
With the win, the Texans will now wait to find out their opponent in the divisional round. If the Ravens win Saturday night and the Bills win Sunday afternoon, Houston will play Kansas City as the AFC’s lowest remaining seed.
