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The Chargers will have to go on the road for their playoff game after losing 20-16 to the Texans on Saturday.
Here's what to take away from the game.
Kicker Cameron Dicker missed a 32-yarder just before halftime, then missed an extra point late in the fourth quarter. It's only the fourth extra point the Chargers kicker has ever missed and the first field goal under 40 yards that Dicker has failed to convert in his career. Los Angeles lost by 4 points. LA struggled with ill-timed miscues all game, however. Tight end Oronde Gadsden II dropped three passes, one of which turned into a red zone interception. LA turned two Texans quarterback CJ Stroud interceptions into only 3 points. Keenan Allen had a drop as well, then cornerback Tarheeb Still committed a crucial illegal contact penalty to all but hand the Texans the win at the two-minute warning.
Herbert's stat line of 21-of-32 passing for 236 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception does not do justice to the way he played on Saturday. That interception came on a tipped pass and will erase the memory of Herbert's 60-yard deep shot to Quentin Johnston that got the Chargers into that situation in the first place. Herbert willed the Chargers into the end zone during their 11-play drive to end the third quarter, throwing out of multiple sacks and trucking defenders as a scrambler along the way. Herbert was hit 8 times on plays that counted and at least three more times on plays that didn't, but continued to drag the Chargers towards the finish line all afternoon.
Much as they did against the Cowboys last week, the Chargers' defense came out flat to start Saturday's game. Two long touchdowns of 75 and 43 yards put the Texans up 14-0 early, but LA clamped down for the rest of the day and held Houston to only six more points over the final 54 minutes of the game. The Chargers intercepted Stroud twice, both in the second quarter, and the two field goals they surrendered in the second half both came on drives where Houston started with good field position.
Herbert was the Chargers' leading rusher on Saturday, as his 28-yard scramble in the third quarter nearly equaled running back Omarion Hampton's output on the ground during the entire contest. Hampton finished with 29 yards on 14 carries with a long of 5 yards, as the Texans were able to keep him bottled up and wrap up to finish tackles. Other Chargers running backs were only given one carry - a one-yard gain by Jaret Patterson - with Kimani Vidal inactive due to a neck injury.
It's now been seven games since wide receiver Ladd McConkey last went over 100 yards and nine games since McConkey had at least five receptions in a game. The second-year pro was only targeted twice on Saturday, catching one pass for 31 yards in the fourth quarter on his first target. WR Keenan Allen had his lowest output of the season with one catch for 17 yards on three targets, which was also tied for the lowest target number for Allen this year. After two encouraging weeks of development from rookie second-round pick Tre' Harris, he was targeted only once, hauling the pass in and gaining eight yards. Only WR Quentin Johnston was able to produce on Saturday, leading the Chargers in yards while tied for the lead in targets with Hampton, who caught all eight of his opportunities to lead the team.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers vs. Texans: 5 takeaways from LA’s 20-16 loss in Week 17
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Here's what to take away from the game.
Missed chances
Kicker Cameron Dicker missed a 32-yarder just before halftime, then missed an extra point late in the fourth quarter. It's only the fourth extra point the Chargers kicker has ever missed and the first field goal under 40 yards that Dicker has failed to convert in his career. Los Angeles lost by 4 points. LA struggled with ill-timed miscues all game, however. Tight end Oronde Gadsden II dropped three passes, one of which turned into a red zone interception. LA turned two Texans quarterback CJ Stroud interceptions into only 3 points. Keenan Allen had a drop as well, then cornerback Tarheeb Still committed a crucial illegal contact penalty to all but hand the Texans the win at the two-minute warning.
Justin Herbert goes beyond the box score
Herbert's stat line of 21-of-32 passing for 236 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception does not do justice to the way he played on Saturday. That interception came on a tipped pass and will erase the memory of Herbert's 60-yard deep shot to Quentin Johnston that got the Chargers into that situation in the first place. Herbert willed the Chargers into the end zone during their 11-play drive to end the third quarter, throwing out of multiple sacks and trucking defenders as a scrambler along the way. Herbert was hit 8 times on plays that counted and at least three more times on plays that didn't, but continued to drag the Chargers towards the finish line all afternoon.
Defensive rollercoaster
Much as they did against the Cowboys last week, the Chargers' defense came out flat to start Saturday's game. Two long touchdowns of 75 and 43 yards put the Texans up 14-0 early, but LA clamped down for the rest of the day and held Houston to only six more points over the final 54 minutes of the game. The Chargers intercepted Stroud twice, both in the second quarter, and the two field goals they surrendered in the second half both came on drives where Houston started with good field position.
Run game quieted
Herbert was the Chargers' leading rusher on Saturday, as his 28-yard scramble in the third quarter nearly equaled running back Omarion Hampton's output on the ground during the entire contest. Hampton finished with 29 yards on 14 carries with a long of 5 yards, as the Texans were able to keep him bottled up and wrap up to finish tackles. Other Chargers running backs were only given one carry - a one-yard gain by Jaret Patterson - with Kimani Vidal inactive due to a neck injury.
Receivers go missing
It's now been seven games since wide receiver Ladd McConkey last went over 100 yards and nine games since McConkey had at least five receptions in a game. The second-year pro was only targeted twice on Saturday, catching one pass for 31 yards in the fourth quarter on his first target. WR Keenan Allen had his lowest output of the season with one catch for 17 yards on three targets, which was also tied for the lowest target number for Allen this year. After two encouraging weeks of development from rookie second-round pick Tre' Harris, he was targeted only once, hauling the pass in and gaining eight yards. Only WR Quentin Johnston was able to produce on Saturday, leading the Chargers in yards while tied for the lead in targets with Hampton, who caught all eight of his opportunities to lead the team.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers vs. Texans: 5 takeaways from LA’s 20-16 loss in Week 17
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