The Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans took the field on Saturday night at SoFi Stadium with high stakes. In a matchup on NFL Network that had massive playoff implications, we got a great duel between the Texans and Chargers on primetime.
Let’s dive into the winners and losers from Saturday’s bout between the Chargers and Texans.
Winner: Houston Texans Defense
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As it has done throughout the season, Houston’s defense looked dominant on Saturday night. While Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter “only” combined for 3 quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks, the attention they drew from the Chargers offensive line allowed Denico Autry (1 sack), Derek Barnett (2 sacks), and Sheldon Rankins (0.5 sacks) to get to Justin Herbert. Constant pressure in Herbert’s face, with Kamari Lassiter and Derek Stingley Jr. in coverage, also meant that the Chargers’ receiver tandem of Keenan Allen and Ladd McConkey finished with under 60 receiving yards combined. It was simply a pure defensive clinic from Houston.
Related: NFL Defense Rankings 2025
Loser: C.J. Stroud versus the Blitz
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C.J. Stroud was phenomenal on the Texans’ first two drives in Los Angeles. He completed his first four passes for 142 yards and two deep touchdown strikes to take an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Then, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter started utilizing the blitz more frequently, and everything changed. Stroud looked rattled, often making inaccurate throws off his back foot or retreating and throwing the football away. After putting up those 142 passing yards on his first four attempts, Stroud went just 12-for-24 for 102 yards (4.3 yards per attempt) and two interceptions.
Winner: Woody Marks Makes Impact in Return
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The Texans played it safe last week, keeping rookie running back Woody Marks out with his ankle injury with the idea of preserving him for a much bigger game. He returned to the field on Saturday and really helped out after Stroud began struggling following the hot start in the second quarter. Late in the fourth quarter, Marks took his first three carries and took Houston from its 45-yard line to the Chargers’ 36-yard line. That helped set up a field goal to make it a 10-point game with 6 minutes left. Marks finished the day with 69 rushing yards, also finishing off the Chargers in the process.
Loser: NFL’s Week 18 Slate
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Coming into Saturday, 11 of the 14 playoff spots were already locked up, which did not exactly set the stage for a climactic Week 18 schedule. The situation only worsened with the Texans’ victory over the Chargers. Houston has now clinched a playoff spot, and the Denver Broncos are officially AFC West champions following the Los Angeles loss tonight.
As a result, next Sunday’s head-to-head matchups between the Chargers vs. Vikings and Colts vs. Texans have lost much of their significance. The outlook will dim further for the NFL if the Baltimore Ravens lose to the Green Bay Packers tonight, as that would put the Pittsburgh Steelers in a “win-and-in” scenario this Sunday.
Related: NFL Playoff Matchups We’d Love to See in the Wild Card Round
Winner: Ka’imi Fairbairn Delivers
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Kickers made the difference in this game. On a night when the Texans’ offense didn’t make a single trip to the red zone on 13 drives, it needed big plays and Ka’imi Fairbairn to beat the Chargers and clinch a playoff spot. While Houston’s kicker might not have received a Pro Bowl selection unlike his peer on the other side, he was not a problem in this game. Fairbairn made field goals from 41 and 44 yards out while converting both of his extra-point attempts, delivering eight crucial points for the Texans.
Loser: Cameron Dicker Suddenly Implodes
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Just days removed from being named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career, Cameron Dicker walked onto the field midway through the second quarter having made 37-of-39 field goal attempts on the season. From 30–39 yards away, he had been a perfect 13-for-13. Inexplicably, he missed wide right on a 32-yard attempt before halftime that would have made it an eight-point game.
Still, the Chargers kept themselves in the game, with Omarion Hampton running in a touchdown to make it a four-point game with under four minutes left. Stunningly, after going a perfect 33-for-33 on extra-point attempts entering Week 17, Dicker missed wide left. Having taken four points off the board in a game Los Angeles lost 20–16, it was a rare and costly night for the star kicker.
Matt Johnson is Senior Editor of NFL and College Football for Sportsnaut. His work, including weekly NFL and college … More about Matt Johnson