HOUSTON -- Seven months have passed since the Los Angeles Chargers last suited up on the gridiron. Although the stakes were far less monumental than last January, the Chargers secured a 27-7 road victory over the Houston Texans in their 2026 preseason debut.
Thursday night in Houston marked the first game on staff for both the team’s new coordinators — Mike McDaniel on offense and Chris O’Leary on defense.
“Chris O’Leary, I thought he called a really good game,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I loved the three-and-outs, loved the fourth down stops. He was calm, cool, and collected the whole night. Made some really great calls, especially the second fourth down stop. And Mike McDaniel, getting nearly 400 yards of offense (379) in a preseason game is very hard to do. Haven’t seen that many times.”
With the majority of starters sidelined including Justin Herbert, former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance earned the nod at quarterback. Lance played six possessions spanning three quarters, completing 12-of-20 passes for 164 yards and guiding the Chargers to 13 points. He established a particularly strong rapport with second-year wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who corralled four receptions for 58 yards.
Lance also threw one interception in the final minute before halftime, overlooking Texans safety Kamari Ramsey on a deep post to fourth-round pick Brenen Thompson. Ramsey, a rookie from USC, returned the interception 42 yards to deny the Chargers a late second quarter score.
“Trey ripped some really good throws across the middle,” Harbaugh said. “Even after the interception, he came back to rip the same exact throw, which would have been there, but he got pressured. But he was really good. Can you move the football team? Can you move the team in 11-on-11, pick up first downs, and end the drives with points, field goals, and touchdowns? And more times than not, the points were there.”
The Chargers’ only first half touchdown was courtesy of running back Amar Johnson, who utilized effective blocks from Trevor Penning, Branson Taylor, and tight end Oronde Gadsden, to plunge into the end zone. But that wasn’t the only highlight for the South Dakota State product in Houston. On the first drive of the fourth quarter, Johnson advanced a screen pass from quarterback DJ Uiagalelei 55 yards. One play later, he reaped the rewards with a 1-yard touchdown. He then remained on the field to punch in a 2-point conversion, capping a night of 17 rushing yards, a team-high 68 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.
“I thought he was really slippery in the run game,” Harbaugh said of Johnson. “He got the 2-point conversion too. He put the ball in the end zone. Ran well, ran hard, and all our backs secured the ball.”
The Texans’ lone scoring drive transpired on their first offensive series of the game. Veteran quarterback Davis Mills made quick work of the Chargers defense, flying down the field on a 31-yard connection with rookie tight end Marlin Klein. Los Angeles subsequently held Houston to a 4th and 1, but a pass interference extended the Texans’ possession. With new life injected into the offense, Mills launched a jump-ball toward the end zone to Jared Wayne, who boxed out cornerback Avery Smith in solo coverage for a touchdown.
The Texans benched Mills after the opening drive and turned to former Wisconsin and Florida quarterback Graham Mertz. Mertz guided the Texans as far as the Chargers’ 15-yard line on his second series, before he was stonewalled by TeRah Edwards and Junior Colson on a 4th and 1 quarterback sneak.
“Coach called in a call, and under center in short-yardage situations, we knew we would probably get a sneak,” Edwards said. “The call was ‘twister.’ It was a play where I was supposed to stunt inside, and it was trusting the coaches, the technique, and the call. Just making a play that came my way and doing my job.”
Mertz later injured his knee on a scramble seconds before halftime, although he was able to walk to the sideline on his own power. With no fourth-string quarterback on the roster, the Texans were forced to play Mills for the remainder of the contest.
Houston’s offense played more conservatively with Mills in the second half. The Chargers missed on several interception opportunities throughout the game but finally generated their long-awaited takeaway in the fourth quarter when Mills collided with his own running back Owen Wright. Chargers linebacker Lander Barton scooped up the loose ball from the miscue and landed at the 21-yard line to set the offense in scoring position.
“Our linebacker play was really good across the board,” Harbaugh said. “That’s pretty huge to us as a defense when you can create ball production.”
Uiagalelei and the offense capitalized on the Chargers’ lone takeaway. After four runs by Greg Desrosiers Jr., Uiagalelei fired a bullet to Penn State rookie receiver Devonte Ross in the end zone for a contested 3-yard touchdown. Uiagalelei finished with 120 passing yards on a 6-of-9 showing in the three-score victory.
“DJ had two drives, and every drive was in the end zone,” Harbaugh said. “It’s really encouraging the way both quarterbacks proved themselves in this game.”
The Chargers strutted into the locker room clapping and smiling, feeling a sense of accomplishment after dominating the Texans on the road. Although the result will quickly be forgotten by fanbases of both teams, the players believe the level of play exhibited Thursday can translate when the games count.
“It feels good to win,” Edwards said. “We always preach, ‘Whose got it better than us? Nobody,’ and I feel that. I believe that. Doing what you dreamed of as a kid and having success at a high level, winning games — it’s tough to win. To do that is just a stepping stone of what we’re trying to get done this season.”
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