C.J. Stroud threw two long touchdown passes on Houston's first two drives of the game, and the Texans beat the team. Los Angeles Chargers 20-16 on Saturday and clinched its third straight playoff berth for the first time in franchise history.
The Texans (11-5) won their eighth straight, their longest such streak since winning nine in a row in 2018.
The Chargers (11-5) had their four-game winning streak snapped and dropped the AFC West title to dormant Denver. They beat the first-place Broncos in Week 3, but missed the chance to stage a winner-take-all showdown in Denver in Week 18.
The Chargers were eliminated from the playoffs by losing to Houston last season.
Stroud's two explosive touchdowns stunned the Chargers and gave Houston a 14-0 lead. On his first pass of the game, he hit Jayden Higgins for a 75-yard score against broken coverage. There was no pressure on Stroud as he threw an uncovered 43-yard touchdown pass to Jaylin Noel.
The Chargers have allowed just one pass of 40 yards or more in their last 15 games.
Stroud completed his first six pitches of the game. He finished 16 of 28 for 244 yards and two interceptions.
Houston's defense forced third-downer Justin Herbert to score on the Chargers' first two possessions. They lost three of their first four possessions, quieting the SoFi Stadium crowd.
Playing his third game with a broken left (non-throwing) hand, Herbert was 21 of 32 for 236 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was fired five times.
Derwin James Jr. intercepted Stroud in the second quarter, but the Chargers only managed a 27-yard Cameron Dicker field goal on the turnaround to fall behind 14-3. Another Stroud interception was scoreless, even though both errors occurred in Houston territory.
Herbert was intercepted by Aziz Al-Shaar at the Houston 1-yard line. The ball intended for Orond Gadsden flew out of his hands, and Al-Shaair went down with it for his second interception of the season. Gadsden covered his face with his hands on the bench.
Dicker missed a field goal of less than 40 yards for the first time in his career just before halftime, leaving the Chargers trailing 14–3. He later fell short of missing his first point attempt of the season on the Chargers' top drive after Omarion Hamption's 5-yard run made it 20-16.
Kaimi Fairbairn made field goals of 41 and 44 yards for Houston.
