Texans vs. Chargers: NFL Wildcard Preview

The NFL playoffs kick off this weekend with a matchup that, on paper, is the tightest in the conference: the Houston Texans host the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Texans finished the regular season with a 10-7 record, clinching the AFC South, and wrapped up their campaign with a win over the Tennessee Titans.

Meanwhile, the Chargers secured second place in the AFC West, behind the Chiefs, and are coming off a Week 18 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Why bet on Houston Texans?

Os texanos de Houston have the AFC South’s struggles to thank for securing the division title and earning the fourth seed in the conference, giving them home-field advantage in this wildcard round.

They started strong with a 5-1 record, including a victory over the Buffalo Bills, but their performance steadily declined. They lost two of their last three games, one being a crushing 2-31 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens in Houston, which exposed many weaknesses within the team.

This is C.J. Stroud’s second year in the NFL, but he still seems to need more time to develop. Over 17 games, he has thrown just 20 touchdowns, being intercepted in 12 opportunities, and sacked 52 times. His inconsistency has shown, with four games without touchdown passes and several with a completion rate under 50%.

The team’s offense has struggled, particularly in the running game. The Texans’ 372 points scored in the regular season are the second-lowest among playoff teams, ahead of only the Los Angeles Rams.

While the defense has kept the team afloat, it still allowed the most points among the top seven AFC teams (372). On the bright side, they rank second in the NFL for interceptions (19).

Por que apostar no Los Angeles Chargers?

Os carregadores de Los Angeles may be on the road and didn’t win their division, but they enter this matchup as favorites. Their 11-6 record placed them second in the AFC West behind the Kansas City Chiefs (15-2), yet it’s still better than their opponent’s. Thanks to their recent win and the Pittsburgh Steelers loss, they climbed a spot to secure the AFC’s fifth seed.

The Chargers are riding a three-game winning streak with victories over the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and Las Vegas Raiders. Justin Herbert has been improving and enters os playoffs in excellent form. He recorded nine touchdown passes over his last four games and 23 for the season. Most impressive is his interception rate: just three picks in 504 pass attempts, making him the most efficient starting quarterback in this regard.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh commands one of the league’s best defenses, which leads in several key categories, including the fewest points allowed during the regular season (301).

However, the Chargers have struggled against playoff-caliber teams. Among postseason participants, they only defeated the Broncos (twice), going 2-5 overall against them, compared to a 9-1 record against the others.

Análise Final das Apostas: Houston Texans vs. Los Angeles Chargers

The last time these teams faced each other was on October 2, 2022, when the Chargers won 34-24 on the road. They’ve only met in the regular season, with Los Angeles leading the all-time series 6-3, dating back to their first matchup in 2002.

The odds at Gambyl Exchange favor the Los Angeles Chargers, with a Moneyline of 1.65, while the Houston Texans are at 2.30.

Almost everyone sees the Los Angeles Chargers as the favorites and believes the Houston Texans don’t deserve a playoff spot. Harbaugh’s team is on the rise, as is Herbert’s performance, while C.J. Stroud still needs to improve and find consistency. We believe the Chargers will take the win at the UNDER.

Go for a win for the Chargers. If you bet $100 at 1.65, you will gain $65 for a total payout of $165.

Houston Texans vs. Los Angeles Chargers Escolha de apostas: Carregadores