The 2025 NFL playoffs commence in Houston, as the No. 4 seed Texans face the No. 5 seed Los Angeles Chargers. The Texans have secured consecutive AFC South titles under quarterback C.J. Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans, while the Chargers, coached by Jim Harbaugh, are making their inaugural postseason appearance since 2022, when they squandered a 27-0 advantage against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Analogous to Ryan’s influence on the Texans in 2023, Harbaugh has exerted an immediate effect on the Chargers. He is the inaugural head coach to guide two distinct NFL organizations from losing seasons to the playoffs in his inaugural season with each team. Harbaugh has a playoff record of 5-3 in the NFL and advanced to the NFC Championship game in his inaugural season with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011. Is he capable of achieving a comparable outcome with Los Angeles this season?
We will analyze this AFC postseason matchup, but first, here are the details for viewing the event on Saturday.
All NFL odds sourced from SportsLine Consensus
Where to view the Texans versus Chargers game
Date: Saturday, January 11 16:30 Eastern Time
Venue: NRG Stadium (Houston)
Network: CBS | Streaming Service: Paramount+
Utilize: CBS Sports Application
Betting Line: Chargers -3 Over/Under 42.5
Trends in gambling
The Chargers have a record of 12-4-1 against the spread, with the total going under in 9 of 17 games.
The Chargers have a record of 9-2 against the spread in their last 11 games.
The Chargers have a historical record of 7-2 against the spread versus the Texans.
The Texans have a record of 7-9-1 against the spread, with the under hitting 10 times and missing 6 times, resulting in 1 push.
Road favorites have a record of 2-6 against the spread in the playoffs since 2016, including 0-2 against the spread in 2023.
Forecast
The Texans concluded the regular season ranked fifth in overall defense, whilst the Chargers achieved the top position in scoring defense. Could the outcome of this game hinge on which offensive performs more effectively? Los Angeles concluded with the 20th-ranked unit in yards per game, but Houston ranked 22nd.
Stroud possesses a genuine star in Nico Collins, but lacks Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell. Furthermore, Joe Mixon has not exhibited the same level of performance recently. The experienced running back has not exceeded 57 rushing yards in a game since December 1 and has not scored a touchdown since that Week 13 triumph against the Jaguars. Mixon averaged 88.7 running yards per game and scored 11 rushing touchdowns in the initial 10 games of the season. The most recent occasion the Texans fielded all their starters, they were decisively defeated by Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens at home, 31-2. Is it possible for new wide receiver Diontae Johnson to have a greater role in the offense? That will be an event to observe on Saturday.
Despite the Chargers scoring a minimum of 34 points in three consecutive games, their offense remains positioned in the lower half of the league standings. The club would not have reached the playoffs without rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who established Chargers rookie records for receptions (82) and receiving yards (1,149). J.K. Dobbins played a crucial part for the Chargers as well. He achieved career-highs in rushes (195), rushing yards (905), and equaled his career-best in rushing touchdowns (9).
