The first weekend of the NFL playoffs will feature a matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans. Houston will play the role of host for this game by virtue of winning the AFC South, while the Chargers are on the road despite having a better record. Los Angeles comes into this game as a 2.5-point favorite, while the total has been set at 44.5 points.
NFL fans and bettors can continue reading to get a full preview of Chargers vs Texans. Here, you will find our keys to this game, generated through a careful analysis of both teams and how they match up with one another. You can also find our best bet for this game, as both teams look to advance to the Divisional playoff round.
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Chargers Leaning On Defense For Postseason Success
The Los Angeles Chargers won three straight games to finish out the regular season, giving them the best possible Wild Card position in the AFC heading into the playoffs. Los Angeles won 11 games this season, in what has been a highly-successful first year under head coach Jim Harbaugh. The NFL odds for this week have the Chargers as favorites against the Texans, with Los Angeles hoping their defense can do enough to deliver a first-round playoff win.
This season, no team allowed fewer points than the Chargers, who had an elite scoring defense despite some hiccups against fellow playoff teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Here, the pass rush of the Chargers will be especially important, as getting pressure on CJ Stroud would make things even tougher on a Texans passing attack that is without several key players at wide receiver.
Can Texans Hold Serve At Home?
The Houston Texans won the AFC South to qualify for the playoffs as the fourth seed in their conference. But Houston is thought of as the weakest division winner in the AFC this year, as they went 10-7 and had a point differential of zero on the year. Here, the Texans will look to win at home and move their point differential for the season into the positive numbers as they host a Wild Card game at NRG Stadium.
Houston is banged up at wide receiver heading into the playoffs, as Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell are both out for the season. After getting just one win this season against a team that landed in the playoffs, the lack of elite level receivers for the Texans could cost them dearly this week, as quarterback CJ Stroud will have to be at his best for him to lead his team to the Divisional round of the playoffs.
Chargers vs Texans Wild Card Prediction
Our best bet for Chargers vs Texans is for the game to stay under the total in Houston. Los Angeles’ defense is elite and should wreak havoc on the passing game of the Texans here. But we expect big things from the Houston defense in this game as well, as the Chargers passing game has not been as good as it is perceived to be in 2024.
