Putting together an NFL schedule is a difficult job. Stadiums host all kinds of events, and organizers have to work around them while trying to place the most appealing matchups in prime-time slots. Even then, teams expected to contend can quickly disappoint. The Texans-Chargers game is a case in point.
Houston enters at 2-5, but it still looks like the more plausible of the two teams to make a postseason push. The Texans were expected to have one of the league’s strongest defenses. Instead, they’re giving up 24.3 points per game and allowing 244 passing yards per game. Their opponents have included some strong quarterbacks, but also Daniel Jones, Cam Ward and J.J. McCarthy. It’s hard to pin the struggles on the schedule alone.
The offense hasn’t made things much easier. Houston has one of the NFL’s least productive rushing attacks, though its passing game has been among the league’s best.
The Chargers, meanwhile, are 0-7 and look a long way from turning things around. Their offense has sputtered, and the defense hasn’t done much to compensate. Even a bye week didn’t seem to help Los Angeles get back on track last week.
Justin Herbert was expected to thrive under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, but his season has gone badly. He has five touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, and he hasn’t thrown a touchdown in either of the past two games. Over that span, he has thrown three interceptions. The Chargers have gone 10 quarters without scoring a touchdown, and have managed just one touchdown in their last 12 quarters.
The game’s total is set at 40.5, and I’m leaning toward the over. Houston should be capable of scoring more than 20 points, while its defense has struggled to stop opponents. Los Angeles could even pull off a win, though that’s not an easy outcome to trust. Still, the Chargers’ offense has to show signs of life eventually, and Houston should contribute enough to push the score past the line.
