3rd Quarter – Chargers ball
After Joe Mixon’s fumble, the Chargers hit a big play to Ladd McConkey, combined with a face mask, to move the ball into Texans’ territory. After two plays netted eight yards, the Chargers faced a 3rd and two. The Chargers had RB Gus Edwards who was notorious for hammering the Texans as a member of the Ravens. I knew they were giving him the ball, but it was just a matter of how and where. The Chargers ran inside zone to the left side and the Texans called a beautiful run blitz. When they did LB Henry To’o To’o dove into the A gap on the playside and LB Azeez Al-Shaair flowed over the top. Edwards THOUGHT he had a hole and Al-Shaair SLAMMED the door shut. Watching it back on TV, it didn’t have quite the impact as it did live. I mean, Azeez hit the dog snot out of Edwards to set up a fourth down.
The Chargers brought in FB Scott Matlock so I thought they might try to run for it, but it was a quick game pass. Johnston was the WR on the right side, tight to the line of scrimmage to give him plenty of room to work against All-Pro Sting, Derek Stingley Jr. Johnston drove hard inside and then back to the flat. Stingley recovered to the outbreaking route in a blink. When Herbert threw the ball to Johnston, he actually made one heck of a one handed catch, but Stingley was all over him and tackled him short of the first down. A dozen or so plays later, K Kai’mi Fairbairn knocked him a field goal to give the Texans a 13-6 lead.
3rd Quarter – Chargers ball
Momentum was wearing deep steel blue at this point, but the Texans defense was ready to put this game away. The Chargers had 12 personnel in the game and put both TEs to the right side. McConkey went in motion to the left side to join Johnston. Herbert went back to throw and for some reason, he double-clutched. I don’t know why. But, after re-cocking his arm, he eventually fired the ball at McConkey, who ran a hitch route against the Texans zone coverage. But, having to reset his throwing motion, Herbert delivered high and Texans S Eric Murray was in the perfect spot to make a play. The thing is that the ball got on him so quickly that he almost didn’t grab it. But he eventually reeled it in and took off for the Chargers end zone. He made it into the end zone with the third pick six in the last two Wild Card games in Houston. E MURRAY! I just yelled it into Marc’s ear as Murray sped down the sideline. That pick six set that crowd OFF and Murray’s pick six gave the Texans a two touchdown lead with the fourth quarter left to play.
