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The NFL's Wild Card Weekend kicks off early on Saturday with the No. 5 seed Los Angeles Chargers taking on the No. 4 seed Houston Texans. Under most circumstances, this would be an even matchup between two teams who have impressed at varying degrees this season.
However, given the fact that the Texans are banged up, they will have a mountain to climb at the NRG Stadium when the playoffs kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET this evening. Here's everything you need to know about their matchup and a few picks to make your life easier in the playoffs:
Los Angeles Chargers vs Houston Texans prediction
A lot was expected of these Houston Texans after a 10-win season. The trade for Stefon Diggs and the free agency move for Danielle Hunter only served to ramp up those expectations. Alas, while the Texans wrapped up a spot in the playoffs with weeks to spare, it came at a cost of two of their best playmakers - Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell.
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Diggs and Dell will play no part this evening, which means Nico Collins will have to pull his weight to get past the Chargers.
All the Chargers need to focus on today is how to keep Texans edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. at bay. The pair form arguably one of the best pass rushing duos in the league, but they will also face one of the best tackle duos in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. If Slater and Alt can keep them at arm's length, expect the Chargers to come out on top.
Los Angeles Chargers vs Houston Texans picks
The Chargers are clearly the better, more in-form outfit heading into Wild Card Weekend. While Justin Herbert's arm talent has brought the Chargers so far, they've also relied heavily on the run game, something that has been OC Greg Roman's trademark going back to his days in Baltimore.
This game appears primed for J.K. Dobbins to serve a reminder of his talents. Given the fact that the Chargers haven't activated Ezekiel Elliott off the practice squad, expect Dobbins to be heavily involved all evening.
All things considered, we're predicting a 23-17 win for the Chargers.
Houston Texans Fans! Check out the latest Houston Texans Schedule and dive into the Texans Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.
