by Tony Fiorello
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 28: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Los Angeles Chargers looks on during the second quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 28, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
Welcome to the 2024 NFL season’s Wild Card Weekend. Here at Buffalo Sports Page we will attempt to inform and educate our readers about the upcoming playoff games and what each team might do to emerge victorious.
One of the AFC’s wild card games will take place at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas as the Los Angeles Chargers will face the Houston Texans. Here’s what you should know:
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 29: Nico Collins #12 of the Houston Texans and C.J. Stroud #7 walk to the huddle in the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium on September 29, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
TEXANS’ OFFENSE EFFECTIVE, BUT FLAWED
A year ago general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans (a former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator and ex-Texans linebacker) led the Texans to a surprising AFC South division title and they’ve followed it up with another one in 2024, the eighth in franchise history. Ryans and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik have brought a system to Houston that worked for them by the Bay, and what also worked for the team years ago under Gary Kubiak – the Shanahan-style of the West Coast offense. Slowik has used a playbook that emphasizes a running game built around zone-blocking (especially to the outside on “stretch” plays) and passes that are created off the threat of run-action. The system can create a lot of big plays down the field from craftily designed routes that work off one another, and the skill position players often line up in reduced splits to the line of scrimmage to become both extra blockers on runs and to have more room to run routes on the field.
No position has seen as much change in Houston than quarterback. Once led by one of the NFL’s best signal callers in Deshaun Watson, Watson was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2022 following several legal problems and his successor has proven to be C.J. Stroud. The former first-round pick from Ohio State has shown a good sense of timing, accuracy and patience in the pocket with solid mechanics and is a quick processor of coverages. He’s also athletic enough to make second-reaction plays and is cool under pressure. Additionally, last year Stroud became the youngest quarterback (22) and highest-drafted rookie (second overall) to win a playoff game, and he and Ryans became just the fifth rookie signal caller and head coach to make the playoffs.
The Texans have a solid one-two punch at running back in former Cincinnati Bengal Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce. Mixon is one of pro football’s better running backs when healthy, and his solid vision and good cutback ability mesh well with Houston’s scheme (and he’s also effective running out of multi-tight end formations with ‘wham’ block concepts). Pierce brings good power to the table.
Executing blocks on the offensive line are former first-round pick Tytus Howard, Shaq Mason, Jarrett Patterson, Juice Scruggs and Laremy Tunsil. Tunsil is athletic and – aside from perhaps the 49ers’ Trent Williams – might be the league’s best offensive tackle in getting out to the perimeter to block for screens. This unit, however, has struggled in pass protection – especially in picking up blitzes, defending stunts and displaying poor communication.
Before the 2024 season began, Caserio and Ryans acquired ex-Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs to supplement Houston’s pass-catching depth. Diggs, while never a burner on the outside, is an exceptional route runner who specializes in making contested catches and operates well out of bunch and stack formations, and has brought his competitive fire to H-Town. However, he’s out for the season after tearing his ACL a few months ago.
Stroud’s additional targets in the passing game are the blossoming Nico Collins – who is emerging as one of the league’s premier boundary ‘X’ receivers – veteran Robert Woods (who still offers some value as a possession receiver and is a good blocker), John Metchie III and the injured Tank Dell, and Houston’s tight end is ex-Dallas Cowboy Dalton Schultz.
Houston was 12th in total offense, seventh in passing, 23rd in rushing and 14th in points in 2023. In 2024 those numbers declined – 21st in total offense and passing yards, 15th in rushing and 19th in points scored are nowhere near where Ryans and company would like to be. They’re also tied with Seattle for third-last in sacks allowed.
JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 01: Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans talks with Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) and Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) during the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans on December 1, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HOUSTON’S DEFENSE SOLID
Ryans’ preference for the Cover Three scheme that he coached in San Francisco (with deep zone coverage from the outside cornerbacks, one safety patrolling centerfield and another near the line of scrimmage) has taken over in H-Town. While that is their basic philosophy coverage-wise, the Texans like to rush five and play man coverage, quarters (Cover Four) or Cover Six (a hybrid of Cover Four and Two) on third down.
Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke’s pass rush is spearheaded by one of the league’s best edge duos in Will Anderson Jr. (who was 2023’s Defensive Rookie of the Year) and former All-Pro Danielle Hunter. They are joined in the starting front four by Mario Edwards and Folorunso Fatukasi, and Derek Barnett, Denico Autry and ex-Bills Jerry Hughes and Tim Settle are key rotational pieces for the Texans. This group
At linebacker Houston employs a trio of aggressive second level defenders in Azeez Al-Shaair, Christian Harris and Henry To’oTo’o. On the back end, Derek Stingley Jr. is showing why he was a high first round draft pick in 2022 while rookie Kamari Lassiter is the other starter at cornerback (veterans Myles Bryant and Jeff Okudah provide depth). Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward are Houston’s normal starting safeties, but both are on the shelf because of injuries and they have been replaced by Eric Murray and Calen Bullock. This group has shown to be overly aggressive on the back end.
The Texans ended 2023 14th in total yards, 23rd against the pass, sixth versus the run and 11th in points allowed. They were also 15th in sacks and tied for 16th in takeaways. In 2024 Houston was 14th in points allowed, 11th versus the run, sixth against the pass and fifth in total yards. They were tied for fourth in sacks with Minnesota and were fifth in takeaways.
Inglewood, CA, Monday, November 25, 2024 - TLos Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) looks to pass to Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (15) late in the game against the Baltimore Ravens at SoFi Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
BOLTS’ OFFENSE PHYSICAL
After years of mediocrity, last spring the Los Angeles Chargers sought to change their image by hiring former Chargers quarterback Jim Harbaugh as their new head coach. Harbaugh, who had presided over winning programs at the University of Michigan (winning a national championship there in 2023) and with the San Francisco 49ers (leading them to three consecutive NFC title games and a Super Bowl appearance), sought to instill a level of toughness in the Chargers that had been missing in recent seasons and has achieved that objective.
His offensive coordinator is the same one with whom he won in the Bay Area with – Greg Roman, and many of the same concepts with which he used at his prior stops (San Francisco, Buffalo and Baltimore) are now en vogue in the City of Angels. Roman had experience working with mobile quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Tyrod Taylor and Colin Kaepernick and had previously installed successful concepts for his former signal-callers like sweeps, zone-read options, triple options, quarterback counters and RPOs out of multiple formations with various personnel packages and motions.
While not boasting the same footspeed as those guys, quarterback Justin Herbert is a mobile signal-caller with intelligence, a strong arm and improved ball placement who can also execute some of those running concepts from time to time. He’s also shown to be disciplined, plays well within structure and has a good sense of timing and rhythm – especially in the vertical passing game, which Roman likes to dial up on play-action passes out of run-heavy formations.
Herbert has a plethora of options at his disposal. Rookie extraordinaire Ladd McConkey is a great route runner out of the slot, Josh Palmer and Quinton Johnston both bring speed to the table and veteran DJ Chark rounds out this group. Hayden Hurst and Will Dissly are the tight ends, and running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, a pair of ex-Ravens who run with power, operate behind fullback Scott Matlock.
The Chargers’ offensive line is characterized by man-blocking, pulling guards and power runs, and have been solid in both providing push on the ground and in pass protection. Made up of Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins III and rookie Joe Alt, they’ve been one of the NFL’s most underappreciated groups.
Los Angeles ended the 2024 season 20th in total yards, 19th in passing, 17th in rushing and 11th in points.
KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 08: Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa (97) and linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the first quarter of an NFL game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs on December 8, 2024 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHARGERS’ DEFENSE ALSO AGGRESSIVE
Ex-Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, a former assistant under Vic Fangio and John Fox (and play caller with the Rams), favored a four-man pass rush and two-deep safety looks out of a 3-4 with well-disguised hybrid coverages that feature man and zone concepts – but mainly relied on Cover Four, or “quarters” coverage with each defensive back dividing the field into fourths and matchup principles to take away vertical concepts.
This approach has been gaining in popularity in recent years throughout the NFL. According to Smart Football’s Chris B. Brown, “It’s the most important defensive scheme of the past decade…. At first glance, Cover 4 looks like an anti-pass prevent tactic, with four secondary defenders playing deep. But therein lies its magic. The four defenders are actually playing a matchup zone concept, in which the safety reads the tight end or inside receiver. If an offensive player lined up inside releases on a short pass route or doesn’t release into the route, the safety can help double-team the outside receiver. If the inside receiver breaks straight downfield, it becomes more like man coverage. This variance keeps quarterbacks guessing and prevents defenses from being exploited by common pass plays like four verticals, which killed eight-man fronts. The real key to Cover 4, however, is that against the run both safeties become rush defenders (remember, the outside cornerbacks play deep). This allows defenses to play nine men in the box against the run – a hat-tip to the 46’s overwhelming force.”
Since Staley is/was a Fangio disciple, that boded well for Harbaugh – especially since Fangio was his defensive coordinator with the 49ers. He and current play caller Jesse Minter (who performed the same duties for Harbaugh at Michigan) realized that not much had to change schematically for the Chargers – just some personnel.
The cornerbacks who play in these coverages for the Chargers are Asante Samuel Jr., Kristian Fulton, Tarheeb Still and Deane Leonard. Samuel Jr. is a spitting image of his father, former New England Patriot and Philadelphia Eagle Asante Samuel – a gambling ballhawk who excels in man and zone coverage and takes chances to get interceptions. More often than not, he usually guesses right. Safety Derwin James is versatile enough to play as a deep centerfielder and as a box safety and Alohi Gilman is the other starter next to him, with veterans Tony Jefferson and Eddie Jackson rotating in as part of three-safety dime packages.
Up front the Bolts are anchored by Kaylon “Poona” Ford, Morgan Fox and Otito Ogbonnia while Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack make up one of pro football’s best pass rush combinations. At the second level, L.A.’s linebackers are composed of Denzel Perryman and Daiyan Henley.
This unit ended 2024 as the league’s best in points allowed, 11th in total yards, seventh against the pass and 14th versus the run. They were tied for sixth in sacks with Tampa Bay and were 13th in takeaways.
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