The Chargers and Texans play on Saturday afternoon to open up the 2024 NFL postseason. Barring an upset from the other two games, the winner of this contest will more than likely face the Chiefs next weekend.
The Texans have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, so here are five specific players to watch on Saturday at NRG Stadium.
WR Nico Collins
Collins has turned into one of the most dynamic wideouts in all of football. With Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell out for the season, all eyes will be on Collins in this one. Not only is he a threat underneath, but he is C.J. Stroud’s favorite deep ball threat as well. If the Chargers want to win this game, limiting Collins should be their No. 1 priority.
TE Dalton Schultz
With some big-time playmakers out, Stroud hasn’t been able to find much of anyone to step up recently. A guy like Schultz will play a crucial role in this contest, as he may be the Texans’ second-best pass catcher now behind Collins. His numbers were slightly down across the board this year, as he had his lowest outputs in catches (53), yards (532), and touchdowns (2) since his 2019 sophomore campaign.
OT Laremy Tunsil
Recently, Tunsil was announced as a Pro Bowler for the fifth time in the last six seasons. He’s evolved into one of the best tackles in all of football, and his matchup against the Chargers pass rush may end up being the deciding factor in this game. The Texans gave up 54 sacks in the regular season, tied for third-most in the league, but Tunsil gave up just two of those.
CB Derek Stingley Jr.
Stingley has taken a massive step forward in 2024, and that has earned him his first career nod to the Pro Bowl. The LSU product regularly guarded opposing offenses’ biggest threats, yet he was still very productive. His five regular season interceptions finished tied-for-fifth in the NFL. It’ll be interesting to see if he travels with Ladd McConkey at all in this one.
S Jalen Pitre
The Texans defense is littered with young playmakers, and Pitre fits that description. Now in his third NFL season, he missed five games this season. It was obvious when he was out of the lineup, as the defense missed his presence. On the season, he finished with 65 total tackles, eight pass deflections, six tackles for loss, an interception, and a forced fumble.
