Justin Herbert might glimpse on the Chargers’ “See the lighting, Really feel the thunder” branding above the field-level suites as his offensive linemen pulled him up on the SoFi Stadium turf.
Herbert actually felt the thunder towards the Texans. The NFL’s high protection recorded 26 pressures because it swarmed by way of the Chargers’ offensive line en path to a 20-16 win Saturday.
And Herbert noticed the lightning, finest represented by second-string defensive finish Derek Barnett’s back-to-back sacks to halt the Chargers’ first drive of the second half.
The latter of Barnett’s takedowns — a part of the Texans’ 5 sacks and eight tackles for loss — got here when he spun previous Bobby Hart and introduced down Herbert for a seven-yard loss.
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Sam Farmer breaks down what went incorrect for the Chargers of their 20-16 loss to the Houston Texans on Saturday.
“I imply, it’s simply soccer,” Hart stated when requested if he was dwelling on Barnett’s pair of sacks or shedding a one-on-one towards Texans defensive finish Danielle Hunter within the first quarter that left Herbert grimacing and favoring his surgically repaired left hand.
Hart added: “Individuals make performs — defenders, guys, catch the ball. Quarterbacks may need some throws that you really want again. It’s simply part of the soccer recreation.”
Coach Jim Harbaugh stated he pulled Hart within the third quarter as a result of the 31-year-old was “having hassle getting within the rhythm.”
Austin Deculus changed Hart and Trevor Penning briefly changed Mekhi Becton Jr. at proper guard for a drive, creating the Chargers’ twenty fourth offensive line mixture of the season. However in a recreation previewing the standard of defenses the Chargers might face within the postseason, the offensive line — hit exhausting by the losses of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt to damage — struggled to adequately defend Herbert.
“Simply too many errors,” proper sort out Trey Pipkins III stated. “No matter it was — sacks and premature conditions — we began actually gradual.”
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert walks on the sphere through the second half of a 20-16 loss to the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Occasions)
The Chargers trailed 14-3 at halftime, punting in every of its first 4 drives. Herbert, who had 236 passing yards together with a landing and an interception, capitalized on Houston penalties and standout performs to increase drives.
Late within the third quarter, Texans defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins burst previous left guard Zion Johnson, after which swiftly ran by heart Bradley Bozeman in assist safety and grabbed Herbert by the waist. As a substitute of falling to the bottom for the sack — a possible sixth total — Herbert linked with broad receiver Quentin Johnston for the primary down.
Moments later, rookie operating again Omarion Hampton scored on a five-yard run to make it a four-point recreation. Outdoors of the landing run, the Chargers’ run recreation was near non-existent. Herbert had a team-leading 37 speeding yards, 28 approaching a single run.
Hampton had simply 29 yards on 14 carries for a career-low 2.1 yards per carry. The Texans’ downhill assault gave up simply 74 speeding yards, the second fewest Houston has given up this season.
“We simply shot ourselves within the foot,” stated Johnson, who together with Bozeman has appeared in the entire Chargers’ line combos. “It begins with us up entrance. We’ve obtained to guard [Herbert] higher. We obtained to execute higher within the run recreation. There’s too many missed alternatives.”
The Texans revealed the extent of the Chargers’ offensive line weaknesses. With the wild-card playoffs two weeks away, will they have the ability to work out their safety points?
“Be taught from it,” Harbaugh stated. “A few of the issues that occurred right now, clear up, and use these to be higher tomorrow.”
