Chargers vs. Texans Preview: Can LA Finally Get Its First Win?

By Caryssa Cavanias, IE Sports Net

Week 9: Houston Texans (2-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (0-7) Sunday, November 8, 2026 · 1:05 p.m. PT · SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif. · CBS

IE Sports Net’s weekly Chargers coverage previews every game and recaps every result, with an eye on the Inland Empire connections around the league.

The Los Angeles Chargers enter Week 9 searching for their first win and a way to turn their season around. The Texans started on a similar note at 0-4, then won back-to-back games before an overtime loss to the New York Giants heading into their bye. At 2-5, Houston can still save its season. At 0-7, the Chargers are running out of chances.

Chargers’ offensive struggles

While the Texans come in rested off a bye, the Chargers need answers on offense. Through seven games, Los Angeles has scored the fewest points in the league, averaging 14.1 points per game with just nine touchdowns.

The Chargers have also committed 17 turnovers, including 10 interceptions from Justin Herbert. That already matches his totals from the 2020 and 2022 seasons, and his career high is 15, set in 2021. Los Angeles has to limit turnovers and find consistency, because Houston’s defense is waiting to capitalize on mistakes.

Texans’ recent improvements

After their 0-4 start, the Texans have improved on both sides of the ball. In Week 5, head coach DeMeco Ryans took over defensive play-calling, and Houston held the Tennessee Titans to three points in a 26-3 win.

In Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, quarterback C.J. Stroud, a Rancho Cucamonga High School standout and Inland Empire native, threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-31 win.

Houston couldn’t hold that momentum, falling 27-21 in overtime to the Giants. The Texans still struggle with missed tackles and explosive plays. Against New York, their defense allowed a season-high 420 total yards, including 188 rushing yards and seven plays of 20 yards or more.

Those problems carried into overtime, when the Giants won behind a 42-yard run from Cam Skattebo and a 30-yard game-winning touchdown run by Devin Singletary. Houston’s defensive inconsistency could give the Chargers a chance to finally find an offensive rhythm.

Trade deadline

With the NFL trade deadline days away, talk of last-minute moves has picked up around several Chargers, with most of the attention on edge rusher Khalil Mack.

At Tuesday’s press conference, head coach Jim Harbaugh was asked whether Mack’s future is ultimately his decision. “I want Khalil Mack here. Khalil Mack wants to be here. He is one of the pillars of our team,” Harbaugh said. Asked further about deadline talks, he turned the focus back to Sunday: “Focused on the Texans. Focused on this week.”

Key players and matchups

One of the biggest matchups to watch is Houston’s pass rush against a Chargers offensive line that started three rookies in last week’s loss to the Rams. Herbert has been sacked 23 times in seven games, more than three per game. Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. enters with 7.5 sacks, and Houston’s defense has 21 as a unit. Keeping Herbert upright will be crucial for an offense that has struggled and shuffled all season.

On the other side, Stroud faces a Chargers defense that ranks seventh in the NFL against the pass, allowing 198.4 yards per game. Stroud has thrown for 1,867 yards and 11 touchdowns with just one interception. Los Angeles will look to disrupt Houston’s passing game and take away big plays.

Meanwhile, Herbert and the Chargers’ receivers get a Texans secondary that ranks 28th in the league, allowing 244 passing yards per game. Despite a foot injury in Week 4 and a concussion evaluation in Week 6, wide receiver Ladd McConkey leads Los Angeles with 286 receiving yards.

The bottom line

Sunday is another chance for the Chargers to fix the problems behind their 0-7 start, and the road ahead doesn’t get easier. The Texans, meanwhile, want to build on the progress they made before the bye.

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