Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Chargers: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
By Mitch Hill
The Houston Texans have pulled off one of the biggest upset wins of the 2021-22 NFL season with their defeat of the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Both teams had rosters that were depleted from the COVID-19 virus. This game was truly a testament to the Texans’ ability to handle adversity and have a “next man up” mentality.
This win was a total team effort from the Houston Texans as they are continuing to show signs of improvement through this current season. The fact that an already underwhelming roster performed exceptionally well this past week shows the progress that this coaching staff, scouting staff, and the roster have made this season.
THE GOOD: The Total Team Effort
It is a cliche in sports that it takes a total team effort to win games, but this week’s win for the Houston Texans was due to a complete team effort to win against the Chargers at home.
The coaching staff got everyone on the roster dialed in to perform regardless of the player’s tenure on the roster. Covid ravaged the roster right before kickoff, which makes things very difficult, but this coaching staff managed the positions and got each player ready to perform.
The offense fired on all cylinders, and it began with the rushing attack. Yes, the rushing attack! The Texans ran the ball a total of 36 times for 189 yards and two scores. This was led by a monster performance from the now Texans season rushing leader, Rex Burkhead.
The 31-year-old running back ran for 149 yards on 22 attempts and was responsible for the two rushing touchdowns. Houston took advantage of the depleted Chargers defense and ran the ball through them.
Rookie quarterback Davis Mills again provided a much-needed performance through the air in tossing two touchdowns with 254 yards passing on the day. Mills shows each week why he should be given a chance in the quarterback room for the next few seasons.
Houston’s defense was able to outlast Los Angeles and force three turnovers. They had two interceptions and one fumble recovery. One of the interceptions was a pick-six from defensive back Tavierre Thomas in the 4th quarter.
The entire Houston Texans team was able to handle adversity, dial everyone in, and come out with a win from their efforts on Sunday.