Chargers' loss to Texans exposed starter that needs replaced ASAP

There’s much blame to go around for the Los Angeles Chargers after the embarrassing fumble of much more impactful AFC West and playoff hopes after the loss to the Houston Texans.

Usually reliable kicker Cameron Dicker is a big one. The special teams ace stumbled on Saturday, missing a field goal and an extra point in a four-point loss. The math certainly adds up.

But Dicker’s stunning collapse, which was a pretty telling theme for the Chargers as a whole on a day littered with missed opportunities, has allowed one other player to escape some deserved blame.

And when shifting the spotlight to that player, it’s clear the Chargers need a serious upgrade there.

Chargers need to replace specific starter this offseason

place holder J.K. Scott — Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Dicker’s day was rough. But elsewhere on special teams, punter J.K. Scott wasn’t much better.

In fact, one could argue that Scott was responsible for more points disparity on the scoreboard than Dicker. It is just easier to see how the kicker messing up impacts things.

But Scott? He collapsed in the second half. One shank went just 22 yards and wound up leading to a Houston field goal.

Scott sent another punt sailing out of bounds that netted just 34 yards. The Texans grabbed another field goal after starting the drive in super favorable field position.

That’s a six-point swing on two swings of the leg from Scott.

JK Scott cannot come back next year. I personally won't allow it.

He's punting poorly for a high school punter. This guy went to Alabama and can't punt straight with a molecule of pressure on him.
— Michael Peterson (@ZoneTracks) December 28, 2025

There’s a compounding factor of bad punts that aren’t readily apparent. The defense bailed Scott out twice by holding the Texans to field goals. But the cost was steep, as fatigue, wear and tear and more from constantly battling in terrible field position takes a toll on a defense.

Scott, a fifth-rounder in 2018, has been wholly unimpressive this year, landing just 19 attempts inside the 20-yard line compared to 28 last year. He had more attempts last year, but the numbers across the board seem telling.

It’s a little thing, but one that Chargers decision-makers surely have an eye on as they assemble the list of offseason needs.

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