Harbaugh back in Houston for playoffs a year after winning college title when Chargers visit Texans

By Canadian Press on January 9, 2025.

HOUSTON (AP) — Coach Jim Harbaugh returns to Houston on Saturday with the Los Angeles Chargers for a wild-card playoff game against the Texans, a little more than a year after leading the Michigan Wolverines to a national championship at NRG Stadium.

Harbaugh left Michigan after that 34-13 victory and has turned around the Chargers in his first season back in the NFL, helping them to an 11-6 record after they went 5-12 in 2023.

“Feels great to be alive in the football sense and let’s keep her going,” Harbaugh said when asked about his return to Houston.

The Chargers are looking for their first playoff win since the 2018 season against a Houston team that won the AFC South for a second straight year. The Texans (10-7) beat the Browns 45-14 in the opening round last season before falling to the Ravens in the divisional round.

Los Angeles defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who held the same job on that Michigan team, reflected on his last coaching trip to Houston.

“That seems like it was about 20 years ago,” he said. “Great memories of finishing out a really cool season with a great group of guys that kind of built it out there. I’m just excited to have the opportunity to just be in the playoffs and have the opportunities with this group of players that have put in the work and the time to earn their way into the playoffs.”

The Chargers are 3-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, but some believe they have a much clearer advantage after winning their last three games.

Rex Ryan, the former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills coach, who currently works for ESPN, said this week that the Chargers were basically getting a bye by facing the Texans, who have lost two of three.

The Texans seemed more amused by Ryan’s comments than anything, with quarterback C.J. Stroud saying he enjoys being an underdog and running back Joe Mixon laughing before responding.

“I’m just here to let my helmet and shoulder pads do the talking,” he said.

While Houston’s offense has struggled in the second half of the season after losing receivers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell to injuries, the defense has been solid and ranks sixth in the NFL in yards allowed.

It has been particularly strong against the pass, allowing just 201 yards passing a game and ranking second in the league with 19 interceptions. The Texans also have one of the league’s most potent pass-rushing duos in Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., who have combined for 23 sacks.

“They’re scary good,” Harbaugh said. “They’re thriving on getting a lot of interceptions, really good with pressure. Got really good players, but they’re really well coached. It’s a really good scheme and they know and play it well.”

They’ll be challenged this week by Justin Herbert, who has thrown for 3,870 yards with 23 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

“It will be a collective effort,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We have to have a really good rush up front. We have to be where our coverage is, we have to be disciplined in our coverages.”

Herbert, who is in his fifth season, is looking for his first postseason victory in his second playoff game.

“I’ve only played one game,” he said. “The most important thing is to trust yourself and know we didn’t get here by chance or luck. We earned the spot and nothing else is given. We have to survive, make plays and trust we know what we’re doing and play the way we can.”

Old friends

Saturday will be a reunion for Houston cornerback Kamari Lassiter and Los Angeles receiver Ladd McConkey, who played together at Georgia.

Lassiter said going against each other in practice during college made both better and that the two of them spent a lot of time together while training for the combine.

“Ladd is one of my good friends, but he’s even better football player,” Lassiter said. “He came up from nothing really. He was a walk-on, paved his own way, started on the scout team and then got drafted to the second round.”

Both players are having strong rookie seasons. McConkey set franchise rookie records with 82 receptions and 1,149 yards and Lassiter started 14 games with three interceptions, 58 tackles and a safety.

Hitting their stride?

The Chargers come into the game on their best run as an offense. In the past 10 quarters — dating back to halftime of the Dec. 19 game against Denver — the Chargers have put up 95 points and scored on 18 of 25 possessions, including 10 touchdowns.

J.K. Dobbins is averaging 69.5 rushing yards in the two games since he returned from a knee injury and has given the Bolts a more balanced offense. McConkey has 11 straight games with at least 50 receiving yards and Quentin Johnston leads the receiving group with eight touchdowns.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said it has been interesting trying to prepare for the Texans because they hardly saw them on tape while trying to prepare for other teams this season.

“It’s definitely the fastest defense we’ve played this year, and it might be the best,” Roman said. “They’ve got great players and are well coached in a scheme they believe in that works for them. Their personnel fits their scheme and their scheme fits their personnel. And it’s obvious they’ve got a lot of confidence in that.”

In the trenches

The best matchup of the day could be between Chargers rookie right tackle Joe Alt and Hunter.

Hunter generated 90 quarterback pressures this season, the second most in the NFL. His 19.1% pressure rate was also second among defenders with at least 200 pass rushes.

Alt allowed a pressure on only 6.7% of his snaps, according to Next Gen Stats. That is the fourth lowest among rookie offensive tackles since 2018.

Keep an eye on …

Chargers safety Derwin James, who had a career-high 5 1/2 sacks during the regular season. James also pressured the quarterback 21 times, which is tied for most in the league among defensive backs.

According to Next Gen Stats, James is one of two players this season to play at least 10% of their snaps on the line of scrimmage, as a slot corner, as a safety and as a linebacker.

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AP Sports Writer Joe Reedy in El Segundo, California, contributed to this report.

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Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press