The Houston Texans surprised a lot of people in their Wild Card win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Part of the surprise wasn’t just that it was a win; it was a defensive onslaught.
The Texans’ defense held the Chargers’ offense to just 12 points and one touchdown, which came late in the fourth quarter. The Chargers totaled just 50 yards on the ground and rookie standout Ladd McConkey was the only pass catcher able to make a dent in the Houston secondary.
Justin Herbert had a game to forget himself, completing less than 50 percent of his passes and throwing four interceptions. It wasn’t just that Herbert was missing throws; he was also under constant pressure.
Fresh off a game-wrecking performance, the Texans’ defensive pass rush — and on the flip side, the Chiefs’ offensive line — will again be the deciding factor in their upcoming Divisional Round matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Underdog Fantasy: Use Code PTST Start Playing Now!
Texans’ Pass Rush
The Texans’ front four has been dialing up the pressure all year on opposing quarterbacks. The team racked up the fourth-most sacks in the league during the regular season, with 49.
Seasoned veteran Danielle Hunter and young standout Will Anderson Jr. were both in the top 10 for sacks this season, amassing 12 and 11, respectively.
The pass rush didn’t let up once the playoffs started, making Herbert miserable all day. The Texans got to Herbert early and often, sacking him four times and pressuring him even more. They also had five tackles for loss, not allowing the Chargers’ running game to get going. Los Angeles’ ground attack averaged less than three yards per carry.
D-Line was SWARMING on Saturday 😤 pic.twitter.com/9mHhrDq8ta
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 13, 2025
The Texans’ pass rush will be primed for another big game, as the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line — primarily left tackle – has been a weak point all season.
Chiefs’ Offensive Line
The offensive line has been the main weakness holding back the Chiefs’ offense this season. Joe Thuney and D.J. Humphries have both started games at left tackle, but Thuney is a natural guard.
Humphries missed three of the final four weeks of the regular season due to injury. Though Thuney is a guard, the line looked best with him at tackle during that span. Patrick Mahomes was sacked just one time in those games — by the Texans.
When Humphries returned in Week 18 against the Denver Broncos, the line — which did feature several backups — still gave up five sacks and seven tackles for loss. The discussion of the line goes back to November when ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky expressed concerns.
“If the Chiefs don’t get to the AFC championship game, it’ll be because of the left tackle position.”
Despite being 9-0, @DanOrlovsky7 is concerned about the Chiefs offensive line. pic.twitter.com/PpUGAbmizm
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 11, 2024
The first practice of the week for the Chiefs was Tuesday. According to Pete Sweeney of Arrowhead Pride, head coach Andy Reid said they will “rotate Joe Thuney and D.J. Humpries in practice this week” and won’t commit to a starter at left tackle yet. They need to figure it out soon, though, because if the line is even the slightest bit iffy, the game could get out of hand quickly.
The Chiefs will host the Texans on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 4:30 p.m., the first game of the Divisional Round.
Main Image Credit:
