The Texans and Chargers open their preseason against each other Thursday at Reliant Stadium, and the setup comes with a little extra edge thanks to what happened the last two times these teams met. Houston beat Los Angeles 20-16 in Week 17 last season, then followed it up with a 32-12 win over the Chargers in the 2024 AFC Playoffs.
From the Chargers side, though, this first preseason meeting doesn’t sound like a true revenge spot. Bolt Beat site expert Grant Bellchamber pointed to Jim Harbaugh’s decision to have the starters warm up but not play in the opener, which takes some of the heat out of any “payback” angle. Still, he said Chargers fans may be carrying some frustration from those two losses, which gives the game at least some added intrigue.
That recent history is also why Bellchamber sees the possibility of something bigger forming between the clubs. Houston’s all-time record against Los Angeles is 5-6, and he said the matchup has the feel of a rivalry in the making.
He tied that to the lingering Justin Herbert/C.J. Stroud comparisons and to the Texans’ pass rush, which has given the Chargers’ offensive line fits over the last couple of seasons.
“I could see something seriously starting to brew by the time we reach the Week 9 matchup at SoFi.”
With starters expected to sit, Bellchamber said a few players should get the most out of the extra preseason snaps. Nadame Tucker is trying to earn a 53-man roster spot after following new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary from Western Michigan as a udrafted free agent, and Bellchamber likes the energy and motor he brings.
He also singled out second-round rookie Jake Slaughter, who has been working between first-team left guard and second-team center and guard reps. The third name was Trey Lance, who could be fighting for a new opportunity depending on how the quarterback room plays out.
On the bigger-picture side, Bellchamber said the offense is the unit under the most pressure with less than five weeks left before the regular season. Even with optimism around Mike McDaniel at offensive coordinator, he said the offensive line remains the major concern and will take time to inspire confidence.
And while injuries are always the obvious thing to watch in August, Bellchamber said a shaky offensive line showing would be the most worrying development Thursday. Even without the starters on the field, he said the Chargers need their depth pieces, including Slaughter, to show real upside in live action.
In Other News...
Texans Offense Faces New Doubts After Rough Night For C.J. Stroud
A recent night practice offered a sharper reminder that the Texans still have work to do on offense. C.J. Stroud had a rough stretch with multiple incompletions, and the running game did not do much to balance things out, even after Houston spent the offseason trying to improve that part of the attack. It was the kind of session that can look minor on a summer calendar but still linger because it cut against some of the brighter signs the offense had shown earlier in camp.
Houston has reason to believe the pieces are there, but the consistency still comes and goes from practice to practice. For Stroud and an offense expected to take another step, the issue is not just isolated misses or a quiet rushing effort, but building enough rhythm to make the whole unit feel dependable before the regular season arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Preseason Will Put Tough Roster Battles Front And Center
The Texans are about to get a longer look at the parts of the roster that usually stay in the background once the games count. Houston opens its three-game preseason schedule Aug. 13, with matchups against the Chargers, Raiders and Panthers, and the week-to-week rhythm will be just as important as the final scores. Joint practices with Las Vegas and Carolina should add another layer, giving coaches a chance to judge how players stack up when the pads come on and the reps get more competitive.
For backups and rookies, this is the stretch that can define the end of summer. Preseason games often become a proving ground for the final roster battles, and the Texans have several spots that will be watched closely as they sort out depth behind the starters. The exhibition schedule will not settle everything, but it will help shape who earns one more look and who leaves camp needing a different path to make it in Houston. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Stay Linked To A Former First Rounders Troubling Situation
The Texans remain part of the conversation around former first-round cornerback Terrion Arnold, who has drawn interest from multiple teams even as his football future is being overshadowed by a troubling off-field situation. New Orleans is scheduled to meet with Arnold, and Houston already had him in the building last month as clubs continue sorting through what, if anything, comes next for a player who was released by Detroit after his arrest.
Arnolds case is the kind of off-field development that forces teams to weigh talent against risk, especially when the legal cloud is still hanging over the situation. He has also met with Seattle, and Houstons link to him is just one more reminder that the Texans are watching a market where the football questions are easy to see, but the real answer may not be. [Read more 🡒]