Wild Card Weekend vs Chargers: Final Thoughts and Score Prediction
Two key figures can begin writing their legacies with the Texans
Hand C.J. Stroud and DeMeco Ryans their writing utensil of choice. This playoff game is an opportunity to start writing about the legacies of this franchise's two key figures.
The 2024 regular season didn’t live up to the hype. The offense was a disappointment and Stroud took a step back. Ryans and his coaching staff didn’t have the answers. They couldn’t figure out how to get this offense to resemble last year’s impressive attack. The defense, at times, failed to finish.
That can all change in this game.
Stroud is facing a tough task. The Los Angeles Chargers own the league’s best scoring defense. They’ve feasted on quarterbacks who struggle against zone coverage, and you guessed it, Stroud hasn’t played well against zone defenses. They’re vicious with their relentless and deep pass rush. It’s a tough matchup.
What better time to rip open the shirt, reveal the Superman symbol, and put on the cape?
Stroud has to be other-worldly for the Texans to have a playoff run. He has to tap into the special level of play we’ve seen him showcase in his career, though it has sparingly been shown this season. I think back to flashes in Kansas City against the Chiefs. The first half of the game against the Detroit Lions. The Iron Man performance at home against the Indianapolis Colts where he was constantly under duress.
It’s necessary in this one. Stroud has had performances where you watch and you think there are only a handful better, and if he showcases one of those in this spot a lot of the stink and disappointment from the regular season will be washed away.
His head coach can help him. Ryans doesn’t coach offense, but he can make sure the other offense doesn’t make Stroud’s already worrisome task impossible. Justin Herbert is incredibly efficient, and he’s been excellent to finish the season. He’s also struggled against good defenses.
Ryans and his defense must have a great day to help out this offense.
The efficiency of the Chargers can work against them. If Herbert is making quick decisions and the Texans tackle well, Houston can force the Chargers into some longer third downs and even keep points off the board. Herbert doesn’t turn the ball over, he’s thrown just three interceptions all season, but one in this game would be monumental. The Texans must dictate how the Chargers play, it can’t be the other way around.
An elite defensive performance, which will include adjustments from how the Texans played down the stretch, would add to the impressive start to the head coaching career for Ryans.
The Texans have been proponents that the slate is clean with the playoffs. A second season for them to show what they can do. The disappointments with finishing games and execution can be a distant memory. Defeating this Chargers team, led by a quarterback better than Stroud and a decorated coach like Jim Harbaugh, would establish there is more to this Texans team than what the regular season showed.
A loss creates identity chaos for the organization. Was 2023 a flash in the pan? Is 2024 closer to reality? Avoid those questions. Beat the Chargers, and write a new story with the second season.
Score Prediction
The Texans will win 19-17. This is a gutsy Texans team. They have taken better teams than the Chargers to the wire. They haven’t always finished, but I can’t get the performance against the Buffalo Bills out of my mind. They possess the ability to make an excellent quarterback’s life hell. They can certainly do it to Justin Herbert. The offense is my worry. A lot of field goals as the Chargers are incredible in the red zone. The defense does enough, the offense has enough. It’s enough. And it’s a win in the Wild Card.
The national media needs to get a grip. I think they are jaded because they hyped us up too much before the season started.
Guess what? Last year we were a couple of weeks removed from a blowout loss to the Browns, just like this year with the ravens. We were also HOME Underdog’s hosting a rookie quarterback’s first playoff game, against the number one scoring defense . What happened?
Texans 27-14,
p.s. No one talks about our sixth ranked D that is elite in completion percentage, turnovers, sacks, Pressures.
Finally, wise guys are on Texans today. They know.
Have you picked the Texans to lose any game this season?