Texans declare 32-12 wild card victory over Chargers
NFL
“I let the staff down,” Herbert stated.
HOUSTON (AP) — Derek Stingley says the Texans purpose to power three turnovers a recreation.
On Saturday in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers, they surpassed that purpose with the All-Professional cornerback grabbing two of Justin Herbert’s career-high 4 interceptions to assist Houston roll to a 32-12 wild-card playoff victory.
“We’re simply going on the market taking part in like we’ve received to get the ball to win,” Stingley stated.
Eric Murray returned one of many interceptions for a landing and C.J. Stroud threw a TD cross in Houston’s win.
For the reason that merger, quarterbacks are 55-551-2 when throwing 4 or extra interceptions within the common season and simply 3-33 when doing so within the playoffs.
“I let the staff down,” Herbert stated. “You may’t flip over the ball like that and anticipate to win. I put the staff in a troublesome place there with 4 turnovers like that.”
It’s the second straight 12 months Stroud and the Texans (11-7) gained within the first spherical after they beat Cleveland final season.
“It hasn’t at all times been straightforward this 12 months,” Stroud stated. “However that is simply one other factor that we will use to inspire us much more.”
Herbert threw simply three interceptions within the common season and had by no means thrown greater than two in a recreation earlier than going through a Texans secondary led by Stingley. Rookie Kamari Lassiter had the opposite choose.
The Texans made Herbert uncomfortable within the pocket all day, sacking him 4 occasions and hitting him one other 9.
“Our protection, they dominated immediately,” coach DeMeco Ryans stated. “And that’s who we wish to be. They performed our model of soccer.”
The Chargers (11-7), who returned to the playoffs underneath first-year coach Jim Harbaugh, misplaced within the wild-card spherical for a second straight time after additionally dropping within the 2022 season to stay with no postseason win since 2018.
Harbaugh, who gained a nationwide championship with Michigan in Houston final January, took the blame for the loss.
“They have been the higher staff immediately,” he stated. “All respect to them. Not being the higher staff immediately, I’m accountable for that. That’s on me.”
Stroud threw for 282 yards with the landing cross to Nico Collins and an interception. Stroud joined Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger, Baltimore’s Joe Flacco, the New York Jets’ Mark Sanchez, Seattle’s Russell Wilson and San Francisco’s Brock Purdy as quarterbacks to win playoff begins in every of their first two seasons.
Collins completed with seven catches for 122 yards to set a franchise playoff document. Joe Mixon ran for 106 yards and a rating. D’Angelo Ross returned a blocked further level for two factors for Houston within the fourth quarter.
Herbert was 14 of 32 for 242 yards with a 40.9 passer ranking.
Issues seemed unhealthy early for the Texans, who fumbled on their first offense play and have been down 6-0 with a few minute left within the first half.
However Stroud threw a 13-yard landing cross to Collins to place the Texans on prime. Ka’imi Fairbairn added a 41-yard discipline purpose to provide Houston a 10-6 lead into halftime.
They have been up 13-6 when Murray scored his first profession landing on a 38-yard interception return late within the third quarter.
Herbert was picked off once more on the following drive when Stingley grabbed a cross that was tipped off tight finish Will Dissly. The third general choose within the 2022 draft intercepted Herbert once more late within the fourth quarter.
Herbert discovered Ladd McConkey for an 86-yard landing reception to chop the Chargers’ deficit to 23-12 within the fourth quarter. However Cameron Dicker’s extra-point try was blocked and returned by Ross to make it 25-12.
A 17-yard run by Mixon prolonged Houston’s benefit to 32-12 with about 4 minutes to go.
The Chargers have been up by 3 after a discipline purpose on their first drive when John Metchie fumbled after a catch on Houston’s first offensive play and it was recovered by Derwin James.
Dicker added a 39-yard discipline purpose on the following drive to make it 6-0.
Deane Leonard intercepted Stroud early within the second quarter, however Lassiter picked off Herbert on the following play to provide Houston the ball again. However the Texans couldn’t transfer the ball and punted.
Stroud and Houston’s offense lastly received one thing going. Houston was going through third-and-16 from its 17 when Stroud fumbled the snap and it rolled 4 yards behind him. He scooped it up and evaded the frenzy to search out Xavier Hutchinson for a 34-yard achieve.
“That was an impressive play,” Ryans stated. “To me that was the play of the sport that basically created momentum for our whole staff.”
Harbaugh agreed.
“It grabbed fairly a little bit of momentum,” he stated. “It’s my job, our job, to get the momentum again.”
Stroud linked with Collins on a 37-yard reception two performs later to get the Texans within the crimson zone. He discovered Collins once more on third-and-11 to cap the 99-yard drive and put Houston on prime 7-6 a few minute earlier than halftime.
The Texans pressured a punt to get the ball again with 27 seconds left within the second quarter. A season-best 27-yard run by Stroud received the Texans to the Los Angeles 36. The quarterback beat his chest and screamed after taking a tough hit on the finish of the run.
Chargers: LB Denzel Perryman injured an elbow within the first quarter and didn’t return. … CB Cam Hart injured a shoulder.
The Texans transfer on to the divisional spherical for the sixth time, the place they’ll attempt to advance to the AFC championship recreation for the primary time in franchise historical past.
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