The NFL season is entering one of its most decisive stages of the year, with several teams already clinching playoff spots while others continue to battle for a place in the postseason. In a key AFC matchup, the Los Angeles Chargers, led by Justin Herbert, will host the Houston Texans in what is expected to be a packed SoFi Stadium filled with home fans.

The most recent meeting between these two franchises dates back to January 2025, when C.J. Stroud’s Texans defeated the Chargers 32–12 in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. It’s a loss that Justin Herbert still hasn’t been able to get out of his head.

“It was one of those things that you continue to think about,” the talented quarterback said Tuesday, via Kris Rhim of ESPN.com. “No one felt worse than I did after that game.

“And I think it’s important to continue to move forward and realize that it’s what happened. It would be crazy of me to deny the truth of what happened and to live in this reality where if I tried to block it out, I don’t think that’s doing any good.”

Los Angeles Chargers

Will Anderson Jr. #51 of the Houston Texans sacks Justin Herbert.

However, Herbert believes he has improved from that game to where he is today: “I sure hope so. Those are games that, as hard as they are to watch, you got to learn from them.”

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In a disappointing conclusion to the season, Justin Herbert struggled to find his rhythm during the Chargers‘ Wild Card loss to the Texans. Facing a relentless defensive scheme, Herbert managed to complete only 14 of 32 passes for 242 yards.

While he did connect for one touchdown, his performance was overshadowed by four critical interceptions that stifled the team’s momentum. Ultimately, these turnovers led to a dismal 40.9 passer rating, marking one of the most difficult outings of the quarterback’s career as the Chargers were eliminated from the playoffs.

Justin Herbert

Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Playoffs secured

Following the Colts’ loss to San Francisco, the Los Angeles Chargers have officially clinched their spot in the playoffs, securing their postseason berth regardless of their final results. Meanwhile, the Texans (10-5) are still fighting for their place in the tournament, looking to lock in their own seed in the coming weeks.