**Nick Canepa Grades the Chargers Following 20-16 Loss to Houston Texans**
After Saturday’s 20-16 defeat against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium, Nick Canepa offers his grades for the Los Angeles Chargers’ key units and players.
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### Quarterbacks: B
Going into the game, Justin Herbert historically struggled against Houston, with four touchdowns compared to six interceptions against them — more trouble than he’s faced with any other team. Herbert was sacked on his very first pass attempt and again early in the next series, quickly putting the Chargers in a 14-0 deficit.
He fumbled twice but fortunately recovered both times. Overall, Herbert was sacked five times, highlighting protection issues upfront. On a positive note, he had a big 28-yard run that helped set up a touchdown pass. Despite his efforts, he struggled to protect himself throughout the game.
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### Running Backs: C
Backup and occasional starter Kimani Vidal was sidelined in the nurse’s office wearing a neck brace, limiting his involvement. Rookie Omarion Hampton showed flashes, contributing both a key block and a catch on the same play. He demonstrated good running ability but found little room to maneuver until late in the game when he scored a 5-yard touchdown.
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### Receivers: F+
Rookie Tre Harris showcased his multi-talented skill set by catching the team’s first pass and running a stylish reverse. Keenan Allen, however, surprisingly dropped a critical third-down catch and didn’t catch another pass for nearly 39 minutes.
Justin Johnston finally made some impact with a catch followed by a massive 60-yard reception. Rookie Orande Gadsden was less fortunate — he muffed a catch near the goal line that was intercepted, followed by a major drop before redeeming himself with a touchdown catch. Ladd McConkey caught his first pass late in the game, 51 minutes in.
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### Offensive Line: F-
This game marked the Chargers’ 27th starting offensive line combination. Bobby Hart moved to left tackle replacing Jaramee Salyer, who had been adequate, while Trey “Oops” Pipkins returned at right tackle. Hart gave up a sack early on, setting the tone for a dreadful performance by the line.
The offensive line was a liability throughout the game, unable to protect the quarterback or open running lanes — a truly horrible unit on display.
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### Defensive Line: C
The defense showed signs of life, but too late to change the outcome. Unfortunately, they failed to record a single sack. Teair Tart and Da’Shawn Hand made their presence felt early; Tart tipped two passes, but Hand was caught offside on a crucial play — an error that cannot be overlooked.
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### Linebackers: C
Odafe Oweh finally generated some pass pressure, while Khalil Mack also contributed, including a tackle for loss. However, overall pressure was sparse. The unit only seemed to ratchet up its intensity when blitzing became necessary, though it failed to create game-changing plays. Mack forced a fumble that stopped a first down, and Daiyan Henley was unfairly penalized with a huge roughing-the-passer call that hurt the defense’s rhythm.
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### Secondary: D-
Cornerback Donte Jackson, who’s had a solid year, was beaten badly by Jayden Higgins on a 75-yard touchdown early on. Shortly after, Elijah Molden was also beaten deep but redeemed himself with an interception just before halftime.
Derwin James came up big with a huge interception off a deflected pass, which led to a field goal. Tony Jefferson added a tackle for loss. However, the secondary was undone by poor calls from officials, including a controversial illegal contact penalty on Tarheeb Still late in the game — a flag many deemed unwarranted.
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### Special Teams: F-
Kicker Cameron Dicker opened scoring with a 27-yard field goal and is known as the all-time most accurate kicker. However, he subsequently missed a 32-yard field goal and a PAT, costing the Chargers four points that would have tied the game.
Punter JK Scott’s performance was also notably poor, with subpar punts failing to flip field position.
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### Coaching: D
Jim Harbaugh and his staff showed defensive adjustment skills after the early, uncharacteristic long touchdown allowed. However, there was little they could do to compensate for what may be one of the worst offensive line performances in recent memory.
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### Next Opportunity: At Denver – F
The upcoming game at Mile High Stadium is notoriously one of the toughest venues to win in the NFL. Given the Chargers’ current struggles with pass protection, especially against elite pass rushers, how will this offensive line hold up against Denver’s sack leaders? The challenge looms large.
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The Chargers head into this pivotal matchup needing significant improvements—especially up front—to remain competitive moving forward.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/12/27/nick-canepas-report-card-chargers-o-line-receivers-special-teams-all-get-fs/
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