Playoff football is on the horizon.
The Chargers will meet the Texans on Saturday in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. Kickoff from Houston's NRG Stadium is at 1:30 p.m. (PT).
We chatted with Drew Dougherty, the host of Texans TV, for an inside look at the Bolts Wild Card opponent.
What's the general vibe around the Texans heading into Saturday's matchup?
They're confident. Houston trotted the starters out in Sunday's regular season finale, and quarterback C.J. Stroud completed all six of his passes, with the final one being a touchdown toss to wide receiver Nico Collins. Running back Joe Mixon carried five times for 23 yards. The defense answered with a 3-and-out, and backup Davis Mills and several reserve players cruised home the rest of the way for a win. They know they must play better, and they know the Chargers are a mighty test. But they've been in this situation before — Wild Card hosts — and triumphed.
C.J. Stroud is undoubtedly the face of the franchise in Houston. How did Year 2 go for him and how much will last year's playoff experience help him this weekend?
Stroud played great in Year 2, but it was a much tougher go than his rookie campaign of 2023. He was sacked 52 times, picked off 12 times after throwing just five interceptions last year, and his passer rating and passing yards per game stats took hits. That happened for a variety of reasons, but he still managed to guide this team to 10 wins and make big-time throws in every single contest. In his lone postseason game at NRG Stadium last year, Stroud was sublime. He tossed three touchdown passes, completed 76.2 percent of his throws and guided Houston to a 45-14 win. The week after, he and the Texans struggled at Baltimore in the Divisional Round, but he's been through the postseason experience and knows what it can be like.
Get an inside look at the postgame celebration from the Bolts 34-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
Defensively, what (or who) has been the key to a Houston defense that ranked sixth in EPA per play this season?
Pressure and takeaways. The pass rush has a franchise-best 49 sacks this year, with 12 courtesy of Danielle Hunter and 11 more coming from Will Anderson, Jr. That defensive end duo is ferocious, but the ends behind them on the depth chart in Derek Barnett and Denico Autry are experienced and accomplished in their own right. Sprinkle in some All-Pro caliber cornerback play from Derek Stingley, Jr., who's picked off five passes this season, and Houston can generate takeaways. As a team, the Texans finished plus-10 on the season in turnover differential, which was the seventh-best mark in the NFL, and their 29 takeaways trailed only four other teams in the league.
Who is an under-the-radar Houston player the Bolts should be wary of?
Look out for rookie safety Calen Bullock. The Pasadena John Muir and USC product tied Stingley for the team lead with five interceptions this season, and very nearly plucked a sixth on Sunday in Tennessee. While the names above garner the most headlines, Bullock has been a bright spot in the secondary for Houston, and a heck of an addition in 2024.
Finally, a non-football question. Give us your best restaurant recommendation for Friday night in Houston!
Pffffft. That's like having 38 children and getting asked to name your favorite. Off the top of my head, Little's Oyster Bar, Teotihuacan on Airline and Karne on White Oak are delicious.
