The Texans built the lead early and kept adding to it. It was 10-3 after 1 quarter and 24-9 at the half, and Houston won every quarter except the 4th, which finished 13-13. Before the game, the Chargers' good news was getting Donte Jackson and Rodney Shelley back at corner. It didn't last long. Cam Hart and Isas Waxter both left with ankle injuries, defensive tackle Justin Eboigbe went out with an ankle too, and Ladd McConkey left with a back injury. A secondary that was already missing Deane Leonard and Kendall Williamson ended the game short on bodies.
Houston's receivers took advantage of it. Kayshon Boutte caught 4 passes for 125 yards, including touchdowns of 12 and 63 yards. Tank Dell also caught 4 for 105, with a 63-yard score. Xavier Hutchinson caught a 17-yard touchdown. Overall, Houston outgained Los Angeles 485 to 315, which is about what a 22-point margin should look like.
The preview also asked about Nico Collins after he managed 2 catches for 6 yards against the Giants. He got a 13-yard touchdown out of this one, but the big plays went to Boutte and Dell. With David Montgomery inactive for a 3rd straight game, Woody Marks carried 18 times for 70 yards. That was enough to keep the Chargers from teeing off on Stroud. The Texans did all of this without Montgomery, safety Reed Blankenship, right tackle Braden Smith or Nate Thomas, and the patched-up line still kept Stroud upright long enough to hit receivers deep.
On the Chargers' side, the 27-possession touchdown drought is over. Herbert threw a touchdown pass, and the 22 points were their most since the 23 they scored at Seattle. The interception streak kept going, though, and it now covers all 8 games. The bigger issue was protection. With guard Kayode Awosika inactive again, the line gave up 8 sacks, so Herbert never had a clean pocket for long. The 13 points in the 4th quarter came after the game was decided.
The Chargers have now lost 5 straight and sit at 0-8. That's 8 games into the season and still no win before Thanksgiving. Houston moves to 3-5, and all 3 of its wins in the last 5 have come on the road: Tennessee, Jacksonville and now Los Angeles. The Texans look like a different team after a bye, and when they get protection, they have more ways to beat a defense than their record shows.
