Controversial Call Late in Texans’ Win vs. Chargers Had Huge NFL Playoff Implications

One play altered four teams' fates.

C.J. Stroud caught a break late against the Chargers Saturday. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

December might be the cruelest month in professional football, as razor-thin margins have the power to start some teams dreaming of the Super Bowl and to send some teams home to start the New Year.

Accordingly, one call—one controversial, could-go-either-way call—altered the fate of four NFL teams Saturday evening. It came during the Texans' game against the Chargers, with Houston driving up 20–16. Los Angeles linebackers Daiyan Henley and Odafe Oweh appeared to sack Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud—only for officials to flag Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still for illegal contact.

Judge the play for yourself here, which enabled Houston to kill the remainder of its victory.

Chargers called for illegal contact on a play that CJ Stroud got sacked pic.twitter.com/HoRuSDKvWO

— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) December 28, 2025

Had no flag been thrown, the Texans likely would have punted on fourth down, and the Chargers would’ve had a chance to put together a game-winning drive with just over two minutes left.

With the Texans’ win, four pieces of the NFL’s playoff puzzle moved. The Texans—winners of eight in a row—locked up their third consecutive postseason spot (a franchise first), the Colts missed the playoffs for the fifth straight year after starting 8-2, the Broncos won their first division title since 2015, and Los Angeles was eliminated from the AFC West race.

With quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers teetering on the brink of their first division crown since 2020, it's possible that Week 18 could be a very anticlimactic one in the AFC.

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