The San Diego Chargers improve to 5-6 after the bye with a 21-13 win against the Houston Texans. The first quarter was predicated on defense as the score was 0-0 heading into the second. Houston scored first after a 33-yard pass from Brock Osweiler to Will Fuller set the Texans up at the San Diego six. Three plays later, Osweiler kept the ball to give his team the 7-0 lead. On the Chargers' ensuing drive, Philip Rivers stepped back and lobbed a deep touchdown pass to Dontrelle Inman to tie the game. Casey Hayward had the first turnover of the game after he picked Osweiler off with 4:55 left in the first half. The pick turned into points for the Bolts five plays later, as Rivers connected with Tyrell Williams to make it 14-7. Rivers finished the first half 13 of 16 for 148 yards with two touchdowns and a 144.8 passer rating.
With just over six minutes left in the third quarter, Lamar Miller broke free on a 20-yard run, however Dwight Lowery came in to dislodge the ball. Although Miller was initially ruled down by contact, the Chargers challenged the call, and it was overturned to give possession to San Diego. Although the Bolts got the ball back, it didn't last long because on third down, Rivers' pass was tipped and intercepted by the Texans. The score was 14-10, San Diego, at the top of the fourth quarter after Nick Novak made a 19-yard field goal. San Diego increased their lead by 11 after Hunter Henry took in a TD pass. Two plays after Houston got the ball back, Lowery picked Osweiler off, and the Bolts got the ball at the San Diego 44 after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Chargers. The Texans ended up going for it on fourth down after a tackle by Joey Bosa stymied a run by Osweiler on third, but the QB's pass fell incomplete and the Texans turned the ball over on downs. Houston made it 21-13 after Novak kicked a 45-yard field goal with 18 seconds left. The Texans went for an onside kick and recovered it with 12 seconds left; however, with three seconds left, Dexter McCoil picked off Osweiler's second Hail Mary attempt and the Bolts walked out of NRG Stadium with a win.
IMPACT PLAYS
FIRST QUARTER
12:10 – DeAndre Hopkins made a juggling catch for a gain of 19.
10:10 – Melvin Gordon followed his blockers and gained 13 on first down.
9:22 – On the next play, Tyrell Williams took the ball upfield for a gain of 14.
2:09 – On third down, Philip Rivers was sacked by Bernardrick McKinney for a loss of seven.
1:27 – Akeem Hunt rushed off left end to gain 16 and move the sticks.
SECOND QUARTER
13:05 – Brock Osweiler dropped back and lobbed a deep ball to Will Fuller who caught the pass at the Chargers' six-yard line.
11:16 – Osweiler kept the ball and dove over the pile for the touchdown.
6:52 – The Bolts tied the score after Rivers threw a deep ball in the direction of Dontrelle Inman, who then took the pass into the end zone.
4:55 – Casey Hayward cut in font of Hopkins to pick Osweiler off to give his offense the ball.
2:35 – Melvin Gordon rushed off right guard for 18.
2:00 – Coming out of the two-minute warning, Rivers connected with Williams for a 21-yard score.
1:47 – Damion Square and Joey Bosa converged on Brock Osweiler for a seven-yard sack.
THIRD QUARTER
14:30 – Bosa tackled Lamar Miller in the backfield for a two-yard loss.
11:02 – Brian Cushing met Gordon behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of three.
6:54 – Miller scampered upfield for a gain of 20 and fumbled the ball. While he was initially ruled down by contact, the Chargers challenged the play and the call was overturned.
4:49 – On third down, Rivers' pass intended for Williams was tipped by A.J. Bouye and intercepted by Quintin Demps.
4:02 – Bosa notched his second TFL on the day, this one good for a loss of five.
2:29 – Miller ran off left end for a gain of 11 to move the chains.
FOURTH QUARTER
15:00 – On 3rd-and-goal, Osweiler tossed a pass to C.J. Fiedorowicz, but he was stuffed at the two-yard line.
14:13 – Nick Novak booted a 19-yard field goal to make it 14-10, San Diego.
10:36 – After Inman took in a pass for 11 yards, on the next play, Rivers evaded pressure and found the receiver again for 25 yards. An unnecessary roughness penalty tacked on additional yardage, and the Chargers got the ball at the Houston 12.
9:59 – Rivers found Hunter Henry for a 12-yard touchdown.
9:17 – Lowery picked off an Osweiler pass and after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was enforced, the Bolts got the ball at the San Diego 44.
4:55 – Bosa made an ankle tackle on Osweiler to limit the QB to only one rush yard.
4:34 – On fourth down, Osweiler evaded a Melvin Ingram sack and rolled left. He tossed a pass in the direction of Braxton Miller, but it fell incomplete and the Texans turned the ball over on downs.
1:47 – Osweiler scrambled up the middle for a gain of 15 on fourth down.
:18 – Novak kicked a 45-yard field goal to make it 21-13. Houston then went for an onside kick and recovered.
:03 – Dexter McCoil picked off a Hail Mary pass to seal the win.
