Chargers vs. Texans Opening Odds for NFL Wild Card Round (Justin Herbert Expected to Capture First Playoff Victory)

Iain MacMillan | Jan 6, 2025

The Chargers are road favorites to the Texans in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers had been sitting in the top wild card spot for a number of weeks but with a Week 18 loss to the Bengals and a Los Angeles Chargers win against the Raiders, Justin Herbert and Co. have captured that spot.

As a result, the Chargers will hit the road to take on the Houston Texans in the Wild-Card Round of the NFL Playoffs. Many people believe the Texans are the weakest of all division winners this season, and the betting market would support that notion.

Let's take a look at the opening odds.

Chargers vs. Texans Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

• Chargers -2.5 (-115)
• Texans (-105)

Moneyline

• Chargers -146
• Texans +124

Total

• OVER 43.5 (-105)
• UNDER 43.5 (-115)

The Chargers are set as 2.5-point favorites in Houston and -146 on the moneyline. If you translate those odds to implied probability, they have a 59.35% chance of advancing to the Divisional Round.

Chargers Have Thrived on the Road

The Chargers should have no issue going to Houston in the opening round. They've thrived on the road this season, including going 5-1 against the spread as road favorites.

They also rank seventh in the NFL in Net Yards per Play on the road at +0.5, significantly better than their 23rd ranking at home at -0.4.

These two teams haven't played against each other since October in 2022 when the Chargers walked away with a 34-24 win. That game took place before the C.J. Stroud era in Houston, so this will be a completely different team this time around.

If there's one thing the Texans can lean on it's their defense. They finish the season ranking sixth in opponent EPA per play and fourth in opponent success rate. If they can slow down the Chargers' offense, they're going to be live in this game.

The winner of this game will likely advance to face the Chiefs in Kansas City, barring the Bills or Ravens losing as significant favorites.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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