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- Houston (10-7) is a 3-point home underdog against Justin Herbert’s Chargers (11-6)
- C.J. Stroud has an 0-6 record against the Harbaugh brothers throughout his NFL and college career
- Wild Card Weekend kicks off from NRG Stadium in Houston, TX on Saturday at 4:30 pm ET on CBS
Jim Harbaugh led his Chargers to the playoffs in his first year, leading a five-win team in 2023 to 11 victories this season. Los Angeles will face a disappointing Texans club that claimed the AFC South despite losing six of their last 11 games.
Before we look at the odds for Saturday’s Wild Card Weekend matchup, check out our best NFL Playoff Betting Tips and find the top betting sites for NFL football 2025.
Texans vs Chargers
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| Los Angeles Chargers | -3.0 (-107) | -160 | Un 43.5 (-110) |
| Houston Texans | +3.0 (-113) | +140 | Ov 43.5 (-110) |
Houston limps into playoffs
It wouldn’t be Wild Card Weekend without the Texans. Houston has made eight appearances in the wild-card round in its 23-year history and have played in the Saturday 4:30 pm slot every single time. C.J. Stroud lit up the Browns to open the NFL playoffs last year, passing for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 45-14 win.
However, the 23-year-old has regressed in his sophomore season, throwing for 3,727 yards with 20 TDs and 12 interceptions. While Stroud’s top target Nico Collins is healthy after posting 1,006 yards and 7 TDs in only 12 games, both Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell are out with injuries.
see y’all in houston pic.twitter.com/a3UWTEhoQk
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) January 6, 2025
Herbert heating up?
Justin Herbert passed for 3,524 yards, 21 TDs and 3 INTs in 2024, setting a career-high in passer rating while tossing the second-fewest picks in a season by a quarterback with at least 450 attempts. After averaging 21 points in the first 14 games, the Chargers have scored 34 or more points in three straight contests.
While Herbert lost his only career playoff appearance (a 31–30 loss to Jacksonville in the Wild Card round two years ago), Jim Harbaugh has a 5-3 record in the postseason.
Houston vs Los Angeles
Houston is a 3-point home underdog at NRG Stadium and the over/under is set at 43.5 points. Jesse Minter’s Chargers defense is No. 1 in the NFL, allowing opponents to score only 17.7 points per game. The Texans and Bolts and are suffocating against the pass, ranking No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, so both clubs will be looking to establish the run.
Joe Mixon struggled down the stretch, posting 129 yards on 40 carries (3.23 YPC) with zero TDs in is his final four games. Meanwhile, J.K. Dobbins ran for 139 yards on 37 totes (3.75) since returning from injury two games ago.
Joe Mixon has surpassed 1000+ rushing yards in his first season with Houston 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4DjfmSexSw
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 5, 2025
Best Bet
C.J. Stroud is 0-6 all-time against teams coached by the Harbaugh brothers. That includes a 31-2 loss to John Harbaugh’s Ravens on Christmas Day, and a 34-10 defeat to Baltimore in the Divisional Round last year. The Texans QB lost both games to Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines while in college with Ohio State.
Of LA’s 11 victories this season, only two came against a playoff team – the Denver Broncos. However, Houston is a product of a bad AFC South division. Take the Chargers to cover (-3) with the UNDER 43.5 points.
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