The Los Angeles Chargers will be on the road in the Wild Card round of the playoffs but they are facing the weakest division winner in the NFL in the eyes of many onlookers.
The Texans were the surprise team of the league last season with the combination of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans. They won a playoff game and built high hopes for the 2025 season. When they traded for Stefon Diggs this offseason, a trip to the Super Bowl was boldly being discussed.
But things have not gone as planned for the Texans, who limped, literally, to the finish line this season.
They won a weak AFC South division while losing Diggs and fellow receiver Tank Dell to season-ending injuries. The Texans are now a team looking to prove it belongs against a hungry, well-coached Chargers squad.
Former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach, and current ESPN personality, Rex Ryan, is giving Houston no chance to win.
Texans not getting much love from Rex Ryan.
😂😂😂
“Chargers basically get a bye against the Texans.” pic.twitter.com/hjsNMTzoWL
— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) January 6, 2025
That’s a bit strong… and a bit disrespectful.
Rex Ryan picks the Chargers to easily beat the Texans
If you’ve followed Ryan’s work on ESPN, a comment like this is not strange for him. But it’s the kind of thing the Texans’ organization could get wind of and use for major motivation.
Having momentum is huge in the NFL. The Chargers are storming into the playoffs while the Texans feel more like a team just happy to be there. It’s easy to see why someone like Ryan would have a take like this one.
Still, the game needs to be played and execution needs to be that of a playoff team. In a one-game scenario, one play can change everything. Though the Texans feel like a wounded animal caught inside a well-placed trap, the Chargers must still do their job to take them out.
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