Texans at Chargers on Sunday: a 2-5 Team That Can Throw It, Against a Winless Host That Has Not Scored a Touchdown in Nine Quarters
Sunday's game at SoFi Stadium matches two of the league's bigger disappointments - Houston at 2-5, Los Angeles at 0-7. The Chargers have gone nine quarters and 27 possessions without a touchdown, AP reports. The Texans' path is through the air: C.J. Stroud has 11 touchdown passes against one interception.
Two teams that expected much more of this season meet on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. The Houston Texans are 2-5, coming off their bye and, before it, a 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants. The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-7 - and their problem is starkly simple, as the Associated Press preview puts it: Los Angeles has gone nine quarters and 27 offensive possessions without a touchdown. Its most recent touchdown came in the third quarter of a 23-17 loss to Denver on October 11.
The Chargers' quarterback is not the drought's whole story. Justin Herbert threw for a season-high 257 yards in Los Angeles' last game, but his two interceptions in it gave him 10 on the season, the most in the NFL. Protection is part of it: even with tackle Joe Alt back from a neck injury, the Chargers started three rookies on the offensive line last week. Los Angeles is allowing 25 points a game and is missing safety Derwin James Jr. - the kind of defense a passing team circle on the schedule.
Houston's passing game is the Texans' clearest asset. C.J. Stroud has thrown for 1,867 yards with 11 touchdowns against a single interception, and Nico Collins leads the healthy receivers with 329 yards and three scores, with Jaylin Noel - 331 yards - on injured reserve. The ground game remains the open question, as this station's Thursday practice file detailed; the preview question is whether Houston's air attack travels.
Kickoff is Sunday at 3:05 p.m. Central at SoFi Stadium, on CBS. For the Chargers, it is a chance to stop a slide that has consumed their season. For the Texans, rested and favored by the circumstances if not by their record, it is the kind of game a team that still believes its season can turn has to take.
