Chargers host Texans in high-stakes matchup featuring two of NFL's best defenses

Houston (10-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)

Saturday, 4:30 p.m. EST, NFL Network

BetMGM NFL Odds: Chargers by 2

Against the spread: Texans 8-7, Chargers 9-6

Series record: Chargers lead 6-4.

Last meeting: Texans beat Chargers 32-12 in NFC wild-card game in Houston on Jan. 11.

Last week: Texans beat Raiders 23-21; Chargers beat Cowboys 34-17.

Texans offense: overall (19), rush (23), pass (16), scoring (19).

Texans defense: overall (1), rush (4), pass (4), scoring (1).

Chargers offense: overall (11), rush (6), pass (13), scoring (T-16).

Chargers defense: overall (3), rush (T-10), pass (6), scoring (8).

Turnover differential: Texans plus-15; Chargers plus-3.

CB Derek Stingley Jr. was selected as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after returning an interception for his first career touchdown against the Raiders. He also forced a fumble and had a pass defensed in the win. The All-Pro is tied for the team lead with four interceptions and is the only player in the NFL to have at least four interceptions in each of the past three seasons. With Sunday’s performance, he became the first player in franchise history to have a forced fumble and an interception return for a touchdown in a game.

RB Omarion Hampton had 85 yards rushing and a touchdown on 16 carries against the Cowboys, his most productive showing in three games since returning from a broken ankle. The rookie first-round pick from North Carolina has 516 yards on the ground and four total touchdowns in eight games. The Chargers will need to maintain offensive balance against the outstanding Texans defense.

Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. vs. Chargers' offensive line. Improved pass protection kept QB Justin Herbert from being sacked in Dallas, which in turn allowed the offense to have one of its best performances of the season. However, the difference in quality between the Cowboys’ pass rush and what Anderson and company will bring is stark. Anderson has a career-high 11 1/2 sacks, and his 17 tackles for loss have been just as important in creating obvious passing downs. He has a tackle for loss in 10 of the past 11 games and all seven road games this season.

Texans: RB Woody Marks and LB Azeez Al-Shaair are set to return after missing last week’s game with injuries. … LT Aireontae Ersery is listed as questionable and could miss the game with a thumb injury. … RT Trent Brown (ankle/knee) will not play.

Chargers: LT Jamaree Salyer (hamstring), return specialist Derius Davis (ankle), CB Benjamin St-Juste (shoulder) and rookie S R.J. Mickens (shoulder) have all been ruled out. … DL Teair Tart (groin) and RG Mekhi Becton (knee) are questionable. The Chargers estimated Becton would have been a full participant if they had practiced Thursday, which bodes better for his availability.

The Chargers won the most recent meeting in the regular season, leaving Houston with a 34-24 triumph on Oct. 2, 2022. … The Texans are facing the Chargers at SoFi Stadium for the first time. They came up with a 27-20 victory in September 2019 in their only other trip to Los Angeles since the Chargers left San Diego in 2017.

The Texans can clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie, or a loss or tie by the Colts. … Houston’s seven-game winning streak is the longest active streak in the NFL and tied for the second longest in franchise history behind a nine-game winning streak in 2018. … DeMeco Ryans is the first head coach in franchise history to win 10 games in three consecutive seasons. … Houston’s defense leads the NFL in yards (272.3) and points (16.6) allowed. … QB C.J. Stroud has had at least 200 yards passing in five straight road games. … RB Nick Chubb had 42 yards of offense last week and had 170 yards of offense and a touchdown in his only career game against the Chargers in 2021 while with Cleveland. … WR Nico Collins had 59 yards receiving last week for his eighth straight game with at least 55 yards receiving. He had seven catches for 122 yards and a touchdown in a playoff win over the Chargers last season. … The Chargers have won 11 games in consecutive seasons for the third time in franchise history (1979-80, 2006-07). … Jim Harbaugh is one of eight NFL head coaches to have multiple 11-win seasons with two different organizations. … The Chargers defense has 13 takeaways (three fumbles, 10 interceptions) in its past six games after getting eight through its first nine games. … Justin Herbert threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns against the Cowboys, his third game this season with multiple touchdowns passes and no interceptions. … WR Ladd McConkey needs two receptions to pass Keenan Allen (148) for most in Chargers history through a player’s first two seasons. … OLB Tuli Tuipulotu got his 13th sack of the season versus the Cowboys. He can become the fifth player in Chargers history with 14 or more in a season (Khalil Mack, Shawne Merriman, Leslie O’Neal, Lee Williams). … S Derwin James Jr. needs one sack to become the third player in NFL history with 600 tackles, 20 sacks and 10 interceptions in his first 100 games (Roquan Smith, Karlos Dansby).

Facing two of the strongest rush defenses in the league, neither Omarion Hampton nor Woody Marks is likely to put up big numbers on the ground. Desperate fantasy owners with limited options will have to gamble that either tailback could make up for it as outlets in the passing game, as Marks was a tremendous receiver in college and Hampton has displayed good hands in his first season.

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Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates after a touchdown by Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) runs during the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith, right, scrambles away from Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) runs for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., left, returns an interception thrown by Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Aaron Rodgers doesn't plan on changing his sleep schedule Saturday night, even though his Pittsburgh Steelers could wrap up a division title without playing.

If the Green Bay Packers — Rodgers' former team — beat the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers (9-6) would secure their first AFC North title since 2020, making Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns (3-12) essentially meaningless.

Rodgers said he won't change his approach, even if the Steelers have a playoff spot wrapped up before kickoff.

“I’m preparing to play and excited about playing,” he said.

Pittsburgh, which has won three straight to wrap up its 19th straight winning season, is likely to finish as the AFC's fourth seed. The Steelers would need to beat Cleveland and Baltimore next week along with Jacksonville and Houston losing out to have a chance of improving their position.

If Pittsburgh wins the AFC North, it would be Rodgers' ninth division title as a starting quarterback. That would tie him with Joe Montana for third most. Tom Brady leads with 19 and Peyton Manning had 12.

One thing the Browns have to play for is Myles Garrett's pursuit of the single-season NFL sack record. Garrett has 22 and needs one to surpass Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt's mark of 22 1/2.

Watt, the Steelers' star pass rusher, will miss a third straight game as he recovers from surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung.

Garrett has faced Rodgers twice and has not sacked him. Breaking the record and making Rodgers the 52nd player Garrett has sacked would be special for the All-Pro pass rusher.

“He’s legendary himself and it’s a legendary record. I’m here to chase him. That would be a great one to put a picture on the wall with,” Garrett said. “He’s going to make it difficult, but I feel like I am very capable of fighting through everything and have some teammates who can free me up.”

Rodgers has been pressured on a league-low 21.9% of his dropbacks. He has the league's quickest release, averaging just 2.63 seconds to throw.

“You’re not going to fool a player of that caliber who has seen so much defense," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “You feel at times watching the tape that he’s one step ahead of the defense. He’s able to see things so quickly.”

The Steelers will be without top wide receiver DK Metcalf, who has been suspended for Pittsburgh’s final two games following an altercation with a fan at Detroit last week.

Metcalf will finish the season with a career-low 850 yards receiving, and his 59 catches are his fewest since his rookie year with Seattle in 2019. But his presence on the field creates opportunities for teammates.

Now those teammates, including recently signed veterans Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, will have a chance to prove Pittsburgh’s passing attack is more than a one-man show. It helps that Rodgers spreads the ball around. Eleven Steelers have touchdown catches this season, tied for most in the league.

“I think there’s a lot of guys on this offense that can make plays,” Thielen said. “Whether it’s the tight end room, I think there’s a lot of versatility there. Running back room ... and then in the receiver room, just a lot of guys that can do a lot of different things.”

Cleveland rookie QB Shedeur Sanders was already going into the game short-handed after running back Quinshon Judkins suffering a season-ending leg injury last week against Buffalo. Now, he might be without his leading receiver.

Tight end Harold Fannin suffered a groin injury during Friday's practice. Fannin had touchdowns rushing and receiving last week. He leads NFL rookies in catches (70), is tied for third in touchdown receptions (five) and is fourth in receiving yards (701).

Stefanski said Fannin is likely to be a game-time decision.

Dillon Gabriel suffered a shoulder injury on Friday, meaning Bailey Zappe could be called up from the practice squad to back up Sanders.

Pittsburgh’s running back tandem of Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell has become one of the best duos in the league, combining for 15 touchdowns and more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage.

While the Steelers gave Warren a modest contract extension just before the start of the season, there really is no definitive first-string running back, which is just the way offensive coordinator Arthur Smith likes it.

“There’s a lot of trust in those players,” Smith said.

Warren and Gainwell — who signed a one-year deal last spring after spending four seasons in Philadelphia — are quick to celebrate each other’s accomplishments, and their team-first attitude has permeated an offense that might be the most democratic in the league. Eight players have at least 150 yards from scrimmage for Pittsburgh this season.

AP Sports Writer Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.

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Pittsburgh Steelers' Mason McCormick (66), Mason Rudolph (2), Aaron Rodgers (8) and Zach Frazier (54) walk to the field before an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers jogs off the field after an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Pittsburgh, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)