Saturday’s 32-12 rout of the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC wild-card recreation briefly halted the notion of the Houston Texans as playoff tackling dummies in ready.
The decision actually must be everlasting.
Yeah, the blokes from H-City appear to be relegated to the early Saturday TV window every time they make the postseason, however certainly sufficient naysayers noticed Texans defenders flying round in any respect three ranges.
And the way might you miss quarterback C.J. Stroud’s scrambling effort to gather a fumbled snap and join downfield for an important Third-down conversion, extending an eventual 99-yard landing drive simply earlier than halftime?
“We didn’t begin off nice,” Stroud mentioned, “but it surely’s not about the way you begin; it’s the way you end.”
Whereas the Texans received’t know their divisional-round vacation spot till midafternoon Sunday, their subsequent foe must be considerably extra involved after a relentless protection and decided assault piloted Houston to victory.
Houston sacked Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert 4 instances and intercepted him 4 extra, surpassing Herbert’s regular-season complete of three picks.
Eric Murray took his INT 38 yards to the tip zone, whereas Derek Stingley Jr. introduced his pair of picks to a different home—his personal.
If there’s a collective trophy case for the Texans ‘D’ at NRG Stadium or elsewhere, the trouble to befuddle Herbert and LA will get a coveted spot alongside a number of others.
It might be simple to overlook given Houston’s uneven end to a 10-7 common season and all of the backlash about Rex Ryan’s “bye week” jab, however these are the identical Texans who intercepted Detroit’s Jared Goff 5 instances.
And, sure, the identical Texans who misplaced that Week 10 recreation versus the Lions, however but the identical Texans who restricted Buffalo’s Josh Allen to 9-for-30 passing and 131 yards to win in Week 5.
On Saturday, with the entrance seven intact eventually, Houston stored coming after the Chargers. The upcoming opponent must be ready for extra of the identical.
“We’re simply going to run exhausting to the ball, you understand,” Stingley Jr. mentioned. “Performs occur whenever you run exhausting, run quick, in order that’s what we’re going to do each snap.”
If Denver wins at Buffalo as we speak, the Texans will go to Baltimore within the divisional playoffs. Ought to Buffalo prevail, the Texans will journey to the top-seeded Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
KC and Baltimore defeated Houston in Weeks 16 and 17, respectively, in decidedly totally different video games. Houston had a second-quarter lead at Kansas Metropolis however couldn’t recuperate after lacking a would-be game-tying PAT early within the third earlier than dropping 27-19.
Baltimore’s Christmas Day go to to Houston, in the meantime, precisely mirrored the lopsided last rating: Ravens 31, Texans 2.
“We don’t take a look at the previous; we be taught from it,” Stroud mentioned. “Each ‘L’ is a lesson, you understand. It’s solely a loss in case you take a look at it that means, so the Baltimore loss made us higher.”
Saturday marked Houston’s first dwelling recreation because the rout, so Stroud backed his declare, passing for 282 yards with a landing and interception whereas speeding for 42 yards.
Joe Mixon rushed for 106 yards and a TD and Nico Collins had seven receptions for 122 yards and a rating.
Houston is 0-5 within the divisional playoffs, together with a 34-10 loss in Baltimore final season. However with their explosiveness in all three phases Saturday, the Texans wish to suppose that is the workforce that lastly exhibits Houston’s postseasons previous are prologue.
“Simply trusting ourselves. It’s not about what all people else says. It’s not concerning the exterior noise, you understand,” Stroud mentioned. “It’s about who we expect we’re and the work we put in.”
