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Chargers DeskThe TapeGame center →

Texans' 63-yard touchdown erased the Chargers' only swing in a 44-22 loss

C.Stroud's deep ball to T.Dell undid an 11-point swing for Los Angeles, and Houston gained 485 yards to the Chargers' 315.

2244The TapeL 22–44vsTEXANS
By Chargers Desk, Pigskin NightlyNov 8, 8:20 PM ET3 min read

The deciding stretch

The game turned at 4:28 of the second quarter. C.Stroud threw deep right to T.Dell for 63 yards and a touchdown, and the Chargers' win probability dropped 14 points on one snap. It was the largest swing in the game for either side.

That score came after Los Angeles had briefly pulled the game back. At 7:32 of the same quarter, Daiyan Henley intercepted Stroud on a pass intended for K.Boutte and returned it 18 yards to the Houston 38. That play was worth 11 points of win probability to the Chargers. The Texans answered it with the 63-yarder, and the Chargers never got that ground back.

Houston scored 14 in the second quarter. The Chargers scored 6.

The swing

The Texans' edge was in the passing game, and the numbers are lopsided. Houston averaged 10.0 yards per pass attempt to the Chargers' 4.7, and finished with 381 net passing yards. The Chargers' offense netted 177.

EPA, expected points added, measures how much each play moves a team's scoring outlook. By that yardstick, Houston's dropbacks averaged 0.507 EPA, against minus-0.064 for the Chargers. Per play, the Texans were at 0.28 and the Chargers at minus-0.179. Houston's success rate was 45 percent, Los Angeles's 36.

Third down made the gap wider. Houston converted 8 of 14, and the Chargers converted 5 of 17. The Texans also went 3 of 4 in the red zone while Los Angeles went 1 of 2.

The Chargers' drive chart shows 13 possessions, five of them scoring and two ending in touchdowns. Houston also had 13 possessions, eight of them scoring and five ending in touchdowns. The Texans' longest touchdown drive took five plays and covered 89 yards. The Chargers' longest took 10 plays and covered 71.

Who moved the needle

Justin Herbert was 13 of 23 for 193 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked eight times for 40 yards, and his 33 plays carried minus-3.7 total EPA. DJ Uiagalelei also threw a touchdown pass, finishing 2 of 7 for 24 yards.

The best EPA came from receivers who did not touch the ball often. KeAndre Lambert-Smith had a 50-yard catch among his four targets and finished at 3.6 total EPA. Charlie Kolar caught 3 passes for 31 yards and logged 3.3. Quentin Johnston caught one pass on four targets, a 58-yard touchdown, for 2.6.

On the ground, Omarion Hampton carried 13 times for 60 yards, with a long of 32. Keaton Mitchell ran 7 times for 33 yards and finished at minus-3.9 EPA, the lowest on the roster. He also caught 3 passes for 34 yards. The Chargers averaged 4.6 yards per carry, but their rushing EPA per play was minus-0.338.

On defense, Henley led with 10 tackles, one for loss, plus the interception and a pass defended. Marlowe Wax had 8 tackles and a pass defended, and Elijah Molden had 6. Tony Jefferson had a half sack and a quarterback hit. Houston was sacked once, for 10 yards.

Penalties cost Los Angeles too. The Chargers were flagged 9 times for 79 yards, against 6 for 36 on Houston.

Where it leaves them

The Chargers are 0-8 with a point differential of minus-98, having scored 121 and allowed 219. They have lost eight straight and are 0-4 at home and 0-4 on the road. They rank 16th in the conference and last in the AFC West, behind the Broncos at 7-2, the Chiefs at 6-2 and the Raiders at 4-5.

The margin here was 22 points, and the pregame line had Houston by 5.5. The fourth quarter was even at 13 apiece, so the damage came earlier.

Next up is a road game at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10. Kickoff is Monday, Nov 16, at 8:15 PM ET on ESPN.

How this was reported. Every number in this piece comes from the play-by-play, drive, injury and snap data Pigskin Nightly collects for every game. EPA (expected points added) is from the open nflverse model. We do not use anonymous sources or invent quotes. Read how we write; spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it in the open.