Houston
Texans
3-4
28
FINAL
31
Los Angeles
Chargers
3-4
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Los Angeles Chargers narrowly defeated the Houston Texans 31-28 in a thrilling Week 9 matchup of the 2026 season. With playoff implications on the line, both teams fought hard, but it was the Chargers who ultimately emerged victorious, keeping their postseason hopes alive.
C.J. Stroud led the Texans with an impressive 383 passing yards and two touchdown throws, showcasing his ability to move the ball downfield. However, the Chargers' offensive firepower was highlighted by Oronde Gadsden, who racked up 139 receiving yards, providing key plays that kept the chains moving. Omarion Hampton also contributed on the ground with 57 rushing yards, helping to balance the Chargers' offensive attack.
Defensively, Matt Milano was a standout for Los Angeles, intercepting three passes and making crucial stops that shifted momentum in favor of the Chargers. Danielle Hunter of the Texans was relentless on the pass rush, recording three sacks, but it was Milano's game-changing plays that proved pivotal. The turning point came late in the fourth quarter when Milano's third interception set up the game-winning drive, sealing the victory for the Chargers.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.J. Stroud | QB | 32 | 18 | 56% | 383 | 2 | 3 | 80.5 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 20 | 14 | 70% | 267 | 2 | 0 | 145.8 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omarion Hampton | HB | 21 | 57 | 2.7 | 34 | 1 | 17 | 0 |
| C.J. Stroud | QB | 3 | 33 | 11.0 | — | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| David Montgomery | HB | 8 | 33 | 4.1 | 11 | 2 | 14 | 1 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 4 | 31 | 7.8 | 8 | 1 | 17 | 1 |
| Woody Marks | HB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Brenen Thompson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oronde Gadsden | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oronde Gadsden | TE | 3 | 139 | 46.3 | 103 | 1 | 77 | 0 |
| Tank Dell | WR | 5 | 132 | 26.4 | 44 | 2 | 53 | 0 |
| Nico Collins | WR | 5 | 112 | 22.4 | 23 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| Dalevon Campbell | WR | 4 | 90 | 22.5 | 21 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
| Brenen Thompson | WR | 3 | 49 | 16.3 | 26 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Quentin Johnston | WR | 2 | 34 | 17.0 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 0 |
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 4 | 24 | 6.0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Dalton Schultz | TE | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Omarion Hampton | HB | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Woody Marks | HB | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| David Montgomery | HB | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | — | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| David Njoku | TE | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | — | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Milano | WILL | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Danielle Hunter | REDG | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Azeez Al-Shaair | MIKE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donte Jackson | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Hart | CB | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Khalil Mack | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Pitre | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kamari Lassiter | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Calen Bullock | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Anderson Jr | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Henry To'oTo'o | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daiyan Henley | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Derwin James Jr | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Elijah Molden | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Hansen | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| M.J. Stewart Jr | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Akheem Mesidor | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tarheeb Still | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reed Blankenship | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Genesis Smith | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Teair Tart | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wade Woodaz | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malcolm Rodriguez | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Beanie Bishop Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Derek Stingley Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sheldon Rankins | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ka'imi Fairbairn | K | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Cameron Dicker | K | 1 | 1 | 2 | 44 |
| Ryan Stonehouse | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

