Chargers' AFC West hopes reignited! A shaky Texans performance opens a crucial Week 18 path to victory, with the division crown within reach.
The Los Angeles Chargers are 11-4 heading into their incredibly important matchup with the Houston Texans this Saturday. After Denver was handled easily by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Chargers suddenly have a very real chance to steal the AFC West back in Week 18 if they can take care of business against Houston.
The Texans are coming off a home win against Las Vegas in which they looked shaky to say the least. Winning just 23-21 in front of an electric Houston crowd against an abysmal Raiders team that had nothing to play for should tell the Chargers there is absolutely a path to success here. Las Vegas may have a legitimate claim to the worst offensive line in football, even including Los Angeles. If not, they are a close second. If Geno Smith does not throw a pick-six early in that game, the Raiders likely have a real chance to pull off the upset.
Ashton Jeanty was able to break through Houston’s vaunted front seven and Brock Bowers found the end zone as well. For a team that was shut out 31-0 by the Philadelphia Eagles the week before, Las Vegas put up a far more competitive showing against a Texans defense that was supposed to be among the league’s elite.
Prior to that Raiders game, Houston looked like one of the best teams in football. That does not mean they are suddenly a bad team or an easy out, but the mystique fades a bit when you watch them struggle to put away one of the worst teams in the league. What once felt like a guaranteed loss coming out of the bye now feels like a game the Chargers can realistically win if they play their style of football.
The first revenge game against Jacksonville went about as poorly as it possibly could have. Maybe that was exactly what this team needed. Much like the earlier loss to the Raiders forced some uncomfortable self-evaluation, the Jacksonville embarrassment appears to have sparked real changes. Since then, the Chargers have leaned heavily into sixth offensive lineman packages, played more base defense to get bodies on the field against the run and incorporated more quick game concepts to help both Justin Herbert and the offensive line.
Herbert looked far more comfortable both mentally and physically against Dallas and another five days of recovery on his broken hand should only help. The offense is still not perfect, but it finally feels functional and intentional rather than reactive.
The Chargers are not a lock to win this game against the Texans by any means. Still, both the team and the fanbase should feel infinitely more confident than they did just a few weeks ago. If the Chargers pull off a win on Saturday, Denver will have no choice but to look over their shoulder. That Week 18 matchup with the division potentially on the line may already start tilting in Los Angeles’ favor.
Now it is time to see if the Bolts can prove it on the field.