After losing the past two games, the Chargers will look to get back on track against the Texans this Sunday.
To get you prepped for the Week 4 bout, here are five key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.
Muddy production from Mills
After showing promise in his rookie campaign when taking over as the starting quarterback when he threw for 2,307 yards, 14 touchdowns, and five interceptions, Davis Mills has not carried that type of production into his sophomore season. Mills has thrown for 662 yards and three touchdowns to two interceptions. He is completing 57.9% of his passes, third-worst in the NFL among starting quarterbacks. Mills’ top target, Brandin Cooks, has 13 receptions and 158 yards on 29 targets.
Blowing it
The Texans have lost three games. In those contests, they came into the fourth quarter outscoring opponents, 49-29. It’s a promising stat, but Houston has not been able to hold on to each of its leads, as it has been outscored in fourth quarters, 30-0. Their late-game issues have been rooted from poor tackling and execution to bring down ball carriers.
Bringing the heat
The Texans have been getting after the quarterback this season, as they are tied for fourth-most sacks (10), five of which came last weekend against the Bears. They are led by defensive end Jerry Hughes, who is tied for the second-most sacks in the NFL (4).
Gashed on the ground
If there’s a game for the Chargers to get their underwhelming rushing attack going, it’s this one. In three contests, the Texans have given up a league-high 607 rushing yards. In their Week 3 loss to the Bears, Houston gave up 281 yards on the ground. On the other hand, Los Angeles is dead last in the league, averaging a measly 59 rushing YPG.
Fine first-year players
The Texans are fielding three rookies – cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., safety Jalen Pitre and running back Dameon Pierce. Stingley was picked on in his first two games, allowing 81 and 87 receiving yards, respectively. However, he delivered a strong performance last weekend against Chicago, not giving up a single catch and adding a sack. Pitre also had a solid outing in Week 3, amassing eight tackles, a pair of interceptions and a sac . He has allowed three receptions for 35 yards in 118 coverage snaps. As the No. 1 back, Pierce has 183 yards and a touchdown on 46 carries (4.0 yards per carry). Four of those rushes have gone for over 10 yards.
