In the first season under Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers return to the postseason as a five-seed. They headed into the Week 5 bye with a 2-2 record, but they were able to go 9-4 after the week off.
With an 11-6 record, they will face the Texans this weekend. Here are five reasons why Chargers fans should feel confident ahead of this weekend’s game in Houston.
Trajectory of team
As the 2024 season has progressed, the Chargers have only gotten better. Coming into the playoffs, they are playing arguably the best football of the season. All phases of the team complement each other well, led by the NFL’s best defense and an elite-level quarterback. They come into the postseason with three straight victories and will look to make it four against the Texans on Saturday.
Texans’ injuries at wide receiver
The Texans have lost a ton of firepower in the last few months. Before the season, they had arguably the best wide receiver trio in all of football. First, four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs tore his ACL back in Week 8. Then, Tank Dell suffered a serious season-ending knee injury in Week 16. It has left the Texans offense with limited weapons recently, and it bodes well for the Chargers. They will be able to focus on top wideout Nico Collins, albeit that is still easier said than done.
C.J. Stroud’s struggles
Stroud has not been the same quarterback in his second NFL season. After an impressive rookie campaign, many expected him to take another step in Year 2. That didn’t quite happen, as his 12 interceptions were tied for fourth-most in the NFL. Stroud threw just 20 touchdowns across 532 pass attempts, and his numbers took a dip across the board. While he’s still a talented quarterback, the Chargers secondary will have the opportunity to capitalize on some of his mistakes in this one.
Strength on strength
The Texans have a lethal pass-rushing duo in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. The two have combined for 23 sacks in 2024, and the team as a whole is tied-for-fourth in the NFL in sacks with 49. Fortunately, the Chargers have the perfect offensive tackle duo to counter those two. Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater have been exceptional all season, with the former being selected to his second Pro Bowl. This is all assuming that Slater plays this weekend, as his status still seems up in the air after missing the regular season finale.
A healthy J.K. Dobbins
This team’s running game was nonexistent without Dobbins in the lineup. In his two games since returning, the veteran has run the ball 37 times for 139 yards and a touchdown. Now, they at least have some balance on the offensive side of the ball. That will only open things up for Justin Herbert and the passing game, an aspect of the Chargers that has flourished over the last few months.
