The Houston Texans will get have another meeting against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17 following the events of last year’s Wild Card blowout, with both sides having some big stakes for what their playoff seeding may hold in the AFC.
For the Chargers, it’s another matchup against quarterback C.J. Stroud, who’s slowly been finding his groove in the Texans’ new-and-improved offense, even with some ups and downs faced throughout the regular season, but still remains one of the more potent signal callers the league has to offer.
That sentiment is also shared by Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, who, before facing off against the Texans and Stroud for the first time since their last playoff meeting, had a ton of praise to hand towards Houston’s quarterback—not just for what he’s done on the field, but off the field as well.
“He’s great,” Harbaugh said of C.J. Stroud. “I’ve always thought that since I watched him in the playoffs of his senior year [at Ohio State] in person, like, ‘This guys going, this guys got it.’ He’s always been that guy.”
“Huge talent, but also, one of the great guys. One of the nicest person, very similar to Derwin James in their personality; just real gentlemen… Just always admired that about C.J… and a great player, and one of the top quarterbacks in the National Football League.”
Jim Harbaugh Still Wowed By C.J. Stroud
Harbaugh, a former NFL quarterback himself, and a coach who’s been around an array of talented offensive players in his time calling both the college and pro ranks, still finds himself wowed with what Stroud shows off with an innate ability to be a top-tier passer.
The last time Stroud went against this Chargers defense, he put together a solid outing, posting 282 passing yards, completing 22 of 33 attempts, with a touchdown, one interception, and of course, his second-ever playoff win to come with it, routing Los Angeles and Justin Herbert, 32-12.
Jan 11, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC wild card game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
The Chargers, though, certainly have that shared memory at the top of mind heading into this weekend’s regular season matchup, and after having their season ended at the Texans’ hands less than a calendar year ago, they’re bound to take this one on with some extra intensity.
That means for Stroud, the pressure’s on to keep the ball rolling offensively against the challenging unit that is the Harbaugh-led defense, and in turn, keep fueling their recent winning ways that have led to seven-straight victories, the current best winning streak in the NFL.
The Texans and Chargers kick off at 3:25 p.m. CT in SoFi Stadium, with both sides hoping to stake their claim as one of the best the AFC has to offer.
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