Ka’imi Fairbairn Gives Texans an Edge Against Chargers

When the Houston Texans cross midfield Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, I’ll be watching what they do on third down. Ka’imi Fairbairn just went 11-for-11 on field goals in October, with five makes from at least 50 yards, and earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Month on Nov. 5. That kind of range gives Houston more ways to score. It should also give offensive coordinator Nick Caley more freedom to call a play that can keep the drive alive. 

Fairbairn’s 49-yarder beat Jacksonville 34-31 in London on Oct. 18. A week later, he hit from 58 and 57 yards against the New York Giants, and Houston still lost 27-21. That’s about as clean an illustration as you’ll get of what a great kicker can do for a team. He can decide a tied game with one swing of his leg. He can also do everything asked of him and watch the offense run out of possessions. 

I’m taking the three points in London every time. Early in a game, though, the situation is different. If Houston has third-and-6 from the Chargers’ 36, I’d give C.J. Stroud a route at the sticks and an outlet underneath. An incompletion still leaves a 54-yard try. A completion can turn that same possession into seven points. The real danger is a sack that takes both options off the table, so give Stroud a quick answer if the pressure comes.

Houston comes in 2-5, and Los Angeles is 0-7. The Chargers have gone 27 straight drives without an offensive touchdown, according to the Texans’ matchup preview. That makes an early lead particularly valuable. Put Los Angeles in a position where it has to chase points, and Houston’s pass rush gets more chances to go after Justin Herbert, who has thrown 10 interceptions in seven games. 

That’s also why I’d watch what Houston does with a short field. Say the defense hands Stroud the ball at the Chargers’ 40. Three points have value, especially if the game is tight late. In the first half, I’d like to see Houston use that field position to take a calculated shot. Starting a drive that close gives Caley room to call something he might hesitate to dial up from his own 20.

For fans already sketching out their Texans draft boards, pay attention to how those drives get to Fairbairn in the first place. If the offense can run for four yards on first down and protect Stroud on third, that tells us something about the line. If it takes a contested catch just to get to the edge of field goal range, that tells us something else. The box score gives Fairbairn three points either way. The snaps before the kick can help explain what Houston still needs up front.

Kickoff is today at 3:05 p.m. Central at SoFi Stadium. I’ll be glad to see Fairbairn jog out there if the Texans need him in the fourth quarter. What I’d enjoy even more is seeing him spend the first half kicking extra points because Houston trusted Stroud to finish a couple of drives.