The Houston Texans turned their game around in the middle of Saturday’s NFL wild-card playoff, ignited by a broken play that led to a dramatic 99-yard touchdown drive.

Trailing 6-0 in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Texans regained possession on their own 1-yard line after struggling through their first five drives, which totaled only 54 yards. However, second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud bailed the team out during a mishap with a shotgun snap, recovering the ball and connecting with wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson for a hefty 34-yard gain.

This 13-play drive ended with Stroud throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Nico Collins, igniting a streak of 23 points without reply for the Texans as they cruised to a 32-12 victory over the Chargers.

The Texans’ defense also shone, intercepting Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert four times. One pivotal play was a 38-yard pick-six by Texans safety Eric Murray just before the end of the third quarter, putting the Chargers in a deep hole.

In the fourth quarter, the Chargers attempted a comeback, highlighted by Ladd McConkey’s impressive 86-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown. Yet, Cameron Dicker’s extra-point effort was blocked and returned by D’Angelo Ross for a two-point conversion, maintaining the Texans’ two-possession lead.

The Texans then managed to run down the clock on their next drive, concluding with a 17-yard touchdown run from Joe Mixon, sealing their victory. Herbert threw his fourth pick of the game, surpassing his total interceptions during the entire regular season.

This defeat marked a disappointing end for Jim Harbaugh in his inaugural season with the Chargers, who had not won a playoff game since the 2018 season.

The Texans await their next playoff opponent in the divisional round, dependent on the results of the Baltimore Ravens’ game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills’ match-up with the Denver Broncos later on Saturday.