The Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers kick off their respective preseasons against one another this Thursday from Reliant Stadium. It will be the first time to two sides have seen one another since the Texans left SoFi Stadium with a 20-16 victory in week 17 of last season.
To help give some background to the significance of the moment from the Chargers point of view, Toro Times has Bolt Beat Site Expert Grant Bellchamber who's stepped up to the plate to provide his layered analysis on the topic. He spoke on everything from a potential rivalry between the two franchises, the arrival of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and even the concerns with the growth and development of the Chargers' offensive line.
Q1. This thursday, the Texans and Chargers face off for the first time since their week 17 matchup last season, in which Houston walked away with a 20-16 victory in SoFi Stadium. With this in mind, do you think this preseason opener has any level of competitive significance to it from a "payback" standpoint for Chargers fans?
Jim Harbaugh has said the Chargers' starters will warm up but not participate in the first preseason game, so I think that from a "payback" standpoint, there might not be all that much at stake. But, that doesn't mean fans aren't harboring some sort of resentment about the last two defeats at the hands of Houston, and I think that makes it, at the very least, an interesting first preseason matchup.
Q2. Along with the aforementioned victory of the Chargers last season, Texans defeated the Chargers 32-12 in the 2024 AFC Playoffs, which contributed to Houston's all-time record of 5-6 against Los Angeles. With almost an even split between the two organizations, would you say there's any bit of a "rivalry" that exists with these teams?
While my answer to the first question still holds true, I think there is certainly a bit of a rivalry developing here— not least because of any lingering Justin Herbert/C.J. Stroud comparisons in terms of playoff success. The Texans' pass rush has been kryptonite for the Chargers' offensive line over the past couple of seasons, and everyone in the league knows that's a dreadful defense to play against.
I could see something seriously starting to brew by the time we reach the Week 9 matchup at SoFi.
Q3. Assuming the starters won't play in this Thursday's contest, which players do you specifically think will benefit the most from extended reps in this game? (three players)
Limiting this to three players is difficult, but there are definitely a trio of players I'll be watching most closely on Thursday. Nadame Tucker is pushing to claim a 53-man roster spot after following new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary from Western Michigan as a udrafted free agent, and he has the juice and the motor to really pop in live preseason action. Second-round rookie guard/center Jake Slaughter has been an object of attention as he's slid between first-team left guard reps and second-team center/guard reps.
If he gets extended opportunities on Thursday, he'll be a player to keep an eye on. Finally, Trey Lance will likely be auditioning for a new job either this season or next depending on how things unfold in the quarterback room, and any series where he's under center will be worth keeping an eye on as well.
Q4. Which side of the football do you think has something to prove with less than five weeks left until the regular season starts?
Even though optimism is sky-high with Mike McDaniel at offensive coordinator, the answer to this is definitely the offense. I'm fairly confident the defense will hold up well even after losing Jesse Minter this offseason, but the offensive line has been such a grave concern for so long that it's going to take a while for Chargers fans to feel fully comfortable with the five players we put out there.
Q5. Besides injuries, are there any developments that would concern you to see on the field this Thursday?
To tie into my last answer, a poor offensive line performance would be highly concerning. Even though the starters won't be on the field, the Chargers desperately need their depth pieces (including Slaughter, at this point) to flash some real upside in live-rep situations.
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