Los Angeles Chargers vs Houston Texans Box Score on Nov 27, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Nov 27, 2016

HOUSTON -- Philip Rivers tossed three touchdown passes and the San Diego Chargers handed the Houston Texans their first home loss of the season with a 21-13 victory on Sunday at NRG Stadium.

The Chargers (5-6) won on the road for just the second time behind Rivers' pinpoint passing and a strong performance from their defense, which forced four turnovers. Rivers finished 22 of 30 for 242 yards with scoring strikes to wide receivers Dontrelle Inman and Tyrell Williams and tight end Hunter Henry.

Rivers' counterpart, Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler, wasn't as sharp. Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward picked off Osweiler in the second quarter, leading to Rivers' 21-yard strike to Williams that gave Chargers the lead for good. Osweiler added an errant pass in the fourth quarter that San Diego free safety Dwight Lowery corralled to snuff any legitimate hopes for a last-gasp rally by the Texans (6-5).

In addition to the three Osweiler interceptions, Texans running back Lamar Miller coughed up a fumble. Houston committed nine penalties and mustered 353 yards.

Jonathan Grimes recovered an onside kick for the Texans at the San Diego 41 with 12 seconds left but Osweiler was intercepted by free safety Dexter McCoil on the final snap.

Before throwing two incomplete passes on a desperate search for points on the final drive of the first half, Rivers was near perfect. His lone incompletion came via a drop by Henry, who attempted to run toward a wide swath of field before securing the catch. Rivers answered a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Osweiler with a six-play, 74-yard drive that culminated in a 52-yard pass to Inman, who broke free behind the secondary thanks to a blown coverage that involved safety Quintin Demps.

After the Texans converted Demps' interception of Rivers into a 19-yard Nick Novak field goal on the second play of the fourth quarter, Rivers engineered a seven-play, 75-yard march completing two passes apiece to Melvin Gordon and Inman before hitting Henry for a 12-yard strike to send the Texans to a second consecutive defeat against an AFC West foe. Houston lost to Oakland last Monday night.

NOTES: With 148 passing yards in the first half, Chargers QB Philip Rivers recorded his 11th consecutive 3,000-yard season. Only four quarterbacks have compiled longer such streaks: Brett Favre (18, 1992-2009), Drew Brees (2003-16), Peyton Manning (1998-2010) and Eli Manning (2005-15). ... With Texans KR/PR Tyler Ervin sidelined by injury (ribs), Houston utilized WR Will Fuller on punt returns and RB Akeem Hunt on kickoffs. ... Chargers LB Denzel Perryman (hamstring) and S Jahleel Addae (collarbone) both returned from injury. Perryman missed the previous two games while Addae had been sidelined since Week 2.