Official Texans @ Chargers Game Thread, 9/22/2019
 

The 1-1 Texans hit the road to to take on the 1-1 Los Angeles Chargers in a late game at something called Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA. The Chargers stubbed their toe several times in a 13-10 road loss to the Detroit Lions last week. They should have some motivation to right the ship. Meanwhile, the Texans needed a break to get a 13-12 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at home.

This is a tough game to call. Both teams are similar. The Chargers were a 12-4 team last year but have a few pieces missing from that team. The Chargers are 5-1 all time vs. the Texans. This is a excellent opportunity for the Texans to re-write their historical trends, but I'm calling for another close game for the Texans with the home team prevailing.

Chargers 22, Texans 20

-----------------------------------------------------------------

TV = CBS (channel 11 local), 3:25pm, Sunday, 9/22/2019

Announcers = Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

The line = Chargers by 3 to 3½

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Other Sunday viewing in the Houston area:

CBS (early) = Baltimore @ Kansas City, Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

FOX (early) = Miami @ Dallas, Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Prime time:

TNF = Tennessee @ Jacksonville (NFLN)

SNF = LA Rams @ Cleveland (NBC)

MNF = Chicago @ Washington (ESPN)

The oddsmakers are essentially calling this a "pick 'em" (it's presumed home teams get three points for being at home). I guess the Chargers so far haven't distinguished themselves (OT home win and close road loss) while the Texans (close road loss, close home win) haven't distinguished themselves either. D-Hop aside, I just think the Chargers have better weapons.

Ya, in the cash pickem contest I am in, so far 80% are taking the Texans and the points. (This is only exceeded by 87% on the Rams over Browns on SNF.) This is at a website full of gamblers. Doesn't mean they're right - I see these lopsided picks fail all the time but it does show there is generally favorable sentiment towards the Texans (Watson effect?).

In the ESPN spread pickem contest, it's a little more milder 62% on the Texans. Very much a John Q Public sampling.

There's a relatively new buzz phrase going around called "recency bias". This is where you allow a strong (or weak) recent team performance to influence your decision. Not something to be relied on, but more like something to be acknowledged...

Allegedly, the Dallas-Miami game this week is setting a record for the largest Vegas point spread in gambling history. You remember what happened when that occurred in baseball recently? The Detroit Tigers beat Justin Verlander in Houston. Somebody made a huge payday on that.

There's one week every year where the NFL is filled with upsets. I think the NFLPA heads to Vegas that week and lays their pension funds on the underdogs and the players on good teams are instructed to lay down. Don't make it too obvious but just fumble or throw a pick at a crucial time so the union gets paid.

A $100 2-team moneyline parlay bet with the Jets (+1375 to beat the Pats) and the Dolphins (+1375 to beat the Cowboys) will win you $21,656.25.

Will lose you $100 I think is what you meant to say.

Eheh, true. I love doggie ML parlays but even that one is too steep for me...

Texans kicking off to the Chargers. Touchback.

Texans force them into a 3 and out. Chargers punting to the Texans.

Carter brings it back to about the Texan 26. Texans ball.

12:45 left in the 1st qtr.

Oh man, Watson passes backwards and the Chargers fall on it at the Texan 15. Chargers ball.

What a gift to the Chargers....

Chargers make the most of it with a 7 yard TD pass to K Allen.

Chargers 7, Texans 0

9:41 left in the 1st qtr.

End of the 1st qtr finds the Chargers with the ball around midfield and moving.

Chargers 7, Texans 0

Ty Long is good from 34 on the FG.

Chargers 10, Texans 0

After a long pass to Stills, a 15-yard penalty on the Chargers for roughing the passer, Watson finds Fells in the end zone for the 16 yard TD pass.

Chargers 10, Texans 7

8:11 left in the half.

Texans giving better effort today. The WTF "lateral" by Watson is really what has caused the deficit. OL protection has been better. Secondary still leaks like a sieve.

Rivers hits Allen for a 12-yard TD.

Chargers 17, Texans 7

22 seconds left in the half.

Terrible defense on that last drive before the half, but...

Williams clubs Johnson in the head with a fully extended arm and gets 5 yards of space to make a catch. Then Johnson covers him perfectly and gets called for an imaginary PI.

How are you supposed to play when the refs call things like that? They've essentially declared offense wins.

Watson connects on a long pass as time winds down leaving 1 second left for a Fairbairn 56-yard FG.

He misses.

Chargers 17, Texans 7

Halftime.

The early gift to the Chargers might turn out to be fatal. Need more pressure on Rivers because he will throw some INT's.

Texans will receive the 2nd half kickoff.

I love how all 3 phases got in on the bad play to close the half.

First at the 2 minute warning on 2nd and 3 Watson bypasses the open RB who has 20 yards for free to fit it in downfield but misses the pass. His insistence on the tough play is getting him killed and hamstringing our offense. The rest of the NFL is thriving on easy completions to the RB. We traded a 3rd for the #2 pass catching RB in the NFL and we can't get him the ball because our QB won't check down.

Then our defense gets shredded with less than 2 minutes left to give up a length of the field TD drive.

Then when Watson produces a miracle to get us a FG try, our Kicker shanks it.

At least all 3 phases are contributing equally to the loss.

TV announcer put the hex on CareBare by talking about his made FG streak before a 56-yarder. Of course, he misses.

In other action, The Niners have committed four turnovers in the first half but now leads over Pittsburgh, 10-6. The last 47 teams to make four turnovers in a game have a record of 0-46-1. Niners may be able to beat the odds. Mason Rudolph has just 40 yds passing.