What you need to know about the Chargers offense against the Texans defense

The Los Angeles Chargers will host the Houston Texans in the early window on Saturday of week 17. Both teams carry win streaks into this AFC showdown with massive playoff ramifications.

Since their Week 12 bye, the Chargers have been winning and winning in a variety of ways. The multitude of ways they are winning will help them in this contest take on a vastly different challenge.

The Chargers demolished the Dallas Cowboys defense in week 16. The Cowboys have the worst defense in the NFL by total EPA per play. The Chargers are facing the top defense in the NFL by EPA per play this week in the Houston Texans.

How the Chargers offense can attack

Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton — Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans are bringing the best defense the Chargers have seen this season to Sofi stadium. Justin Herbert and the offense will be facing this challenge with another new offensive line combination with the most recent starting left tackle, Jamaree Salyer out for this game.

#HOUvsLAC game status

QUESTIONABLE — Mekhi Becton, Teair Tart, Kimani Vidal

OUT — Derius Davis, RJ Mickens, Jamaree Salyer, Benjamin St-Juste
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) December 25, 2025

The Chargers have an opportunity to attack the Texans despite being down Jamaree Salyer and with Trevor Penning possibly starting in place of Mekhi Becton at right guard. The Texans boast the best defense in the NFL on a EPA per play basis. Broken down by passing versus run defense, however, the numbers changes.

The Texans have the best passing defense in the NFL, by a wide margin, when using EPA per play as the metric at -0.19. The Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings have the second-best at -0.13. Advanced stats are a good tool to utilize but the actual proof is in the results. Houston's defense is in the top five of passing touchdowns allowed, completion percent and yards given up.

The Chargers will be facing a very good pass defense on Saturday. The Texans run defense is a different story. The Texans have the 14th best run defense based on EPA per play, just ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers, by comparison, have the 9th best run defense.

The Chargers are down several offensive lineman not including their two Pro Bowl tackles, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, who are lost for the season. Facing the best pass defense in the NFL with their offensive line injuries, the Chargers would be foolish to focus their attack through the air, even with Justin Herbert at quarterback.

Los Angeles Chargers center Bradley Bozeman — Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Chargers running back Omarion Hampton has been getting stronger week by week since returning from injured reserve against the Eagles in Week 14. Expect Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman to dial up a run-heavy attack early.

The key matchup between the Chargers offense and the Texans defense will be Omarion Hampton against the Texan's linebackers. Pro-Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair missed last week with an ankle injury and just logged his first full listed practice on Christmas Day.

The Texans defense sorely missed Al-Shaair against the Raiders. If he is limited, the other linebackers have nearly a 20 percent missed tackle rate. Omarion Hampton has forced 30 missed tackles on 110 carries during his rookie season including seven last week.

If the Chargers can establish the ground game and utilize heavier personnel groupings and full back Scott Matlock, it will open up the play action to give Justin Herbert a chance for better passing windows. Matlock has logged 27 and 25 run blocking snaps over the past two weeks, that will likely continue.

The Chargers can take down the Houston Texans and their offense will have to fight for every inch against the Texans defense. The Chargers will have to flex their toughness and bring the fight to the Texans.

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