What a great Christmas present - a Houston Texans 41-29 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on 12/26/2021.

While I have no illusions that will be the outcome of this weekend’s matchup between these two AFC teams, we can all hope. DraftKings Sportsbook has the Texans as 11-point underdogs against a beaten up Chargers team.

The Chargers entered this season with a lot of folks expecting them to compete with the best of the AFC best. Sitting at 1-2 right now, the Bolts are hoping to get back to .500 this weekend.

The Texans came into 2022 with the overall prediction of bottom dweller. And, so far, that’s exactly what’s happened. New head coach, new offensive coordinator, new star players, same old winless Texans. At least 0-2-1 isn’t quite as bad as the Chargers division rival, the Las Vegas Raiders who are 0-3.

Even if these two teams currently have just one win between them, unless the Texans get their second tie of the year, someone has to win this.

Quick Hits: Los Angeles Chargers vs Houston Texans Preview

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

Chargers lead all-time series, 5-3

STREAKS

Texans have won past 2

LAST GAME

12/26/21: Chargers 29 at Texans 41

LAST GAME AT SITE

12/26/21

Los Angeles Chargers Stats

• QB JUSTIN HERBERT had 297 pass yards & TD vs. INT in Week 3. Passed for 336 yards in last meeting. Can join Rich Gannon (8 road games from 2001-02) as only QBs with 300+ pass yards in 7 straight road starts. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with 3+ pass TDs.
• RB AUSTIN EKELER led team with 8 catches in Week 3. Leads all RBs in 2022 in receptions (21) & rec. yards (139). Has 4 TDs (2 rush, 2 rec.) in his past 4 on road. Aims for his 5th in row on road with 5+ catches & 90+ scrimmage yards.
• WR KEENAN ALLEN set career-high in rec. yards (183) vs. Hou. on 9/22/19. Has 5+ catches in 7 of his past 8 on road.
• WR MIKE WILLIAMS had 28th-career TD catch last week. Has rec. TD in 4 of his past 5. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with TD catch & 4th in row on road with 110+ rec. yards.
• WR JOSH PALMER led team with career highs in catches (6) & rec. yards (99) in
• Week 3. Had 5 catches & rec. TD in last meeting.
• LB KHALIL MACK had sack, FF & FR in his last game vs. Hou. (12/13/20 w/ Chi.). Aims
• for his 3rd in row vs. Hou. with sack & 4th in row vs. Hou. with TFL. Has 4 sacks in
• his past 4 on road.
• LB DRUE TRANQUILL led team with 11 tackles last week, his 4th-career 10+ tackle game.
• CB J.C. JACKSON has 6 INTs & 12 PD in his past 10 on road.
• CB ASANTE SAMUEL JR. has PD in 8 consecutive games, longest active streak in
• NFL. Had 2 PD in last meeting. Aims for his 4th in row on road with PD.
• S DERWIN JAMES had 9 tackles & 1st PD of season last week. Has TFL in 4 of his past 5. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with TFL & 11th in row on road with 5+ tackles

Houston Texans Stats

• QB DAVIS MILLS completed 21 of 27 atts. (career-high 77.8 pct.) for 254 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 130.6 rating in last meeting. Has 1,916 pass yards (273.7 per game) & 14 TDs vs. INT for 111.3 rating in 7 career home starts. Has 300+ pass yards in 4 of his past 6 at home starts. Aims for his 8th in row at home with 90+ rating.
• RB DAMEON PIERCE (rookie) had 101 scrimmage yards (80 rush, 21 rec.) in Week 3, his 1st-career game with 100+ scrimmage yards. Leads all rookie RBs in rush yards (182) & ranks 2nd among all rookies in scrimmage yards (217).
• RB REX BURKHEAD rushed for 149 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting.
• WR BRANDIN COOKS had 7 catches for 90 yards in his last game vs. LAC (9/23/18
• w/ LAR) & aims for his 3rd in row vs. LAC with 5+ catches.
• TE JORDAN AKINS had 1st rec. TD of season last week, his 4th-career TD catch.
• DL JERRY HUGHES had 11th-career 2-sack game last week & is 1 of 2 (Micah Parsons)
• with multiple 2+ sack games in 2022. Aims for his 4th in row vs. LAC with TFL.
• LB KAMU GRUGIER-HILL has 8 TFL in his past 5 at home. Aims for his 6th in row at
• home with TFL & 7th in row at home with 5+ tackles.
• LB CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY has 5+ tackles in 8 of his past 9 at home. Aims for his 3rd in
• row at home with 8+ tackles & TFL.
• DB JONATHAN OWENS led team with 11 tackles last week & is 1 of 2 (Myles Jack)
• with 10+ tackles in each of 1st 3 weeks. Had INT & FR in last meeting. Ranks tied-1st
• in NFL with 36 tackles in 2022.
• DB DEREK STINGLEY JR. (rookie) had 1st-career sack in Week 3.
• DB JALEN PITRE (rookie) had 1st 2 career INTs, 1st-career sack & 1st-career FR in Week 3.