Ladd McConkey, Tony Jefferson, and Alohi Gilman all recorded elite game grades of 90.0+ from PFF against the Texans.
Not the way anyone expected the season to end for the Chargers, but that’s what happens when too many players play one of their worst games of the season.
Too many Chargers played one of their worst games of the season vs. HOU (per PFF game grade):
Alt – Worst
QJ – 2nd worst
Dissly – 2nd worst
Salyer – 2nd worst
Zion – 3rd worst
Fulton – 3rd worst
Bosa – 3rd worst
Slater – 4th worst
Fox – 4th worst
Herbert – 5th worst— Michael Peterson (@ZoneTracks) January 12, 2025
It’s not a fun read, but let’s go ahead and see just how things shook out against the Texans per Pro Football Focus.
Offense
Best (min. 20 snaps played)
WR Ladd McConkey – 91.6
OT Rashawn Slater – 68.2
QB Justin Herbert – 60.3
RB J.K. Dobbins – 59.0
C Bradley Bozeman – 58.7
This offensive performance by the Chargers was simply McConkey and then no one else. It was almost surreal watching one undersized receiver tear apart an entire defense while all of his teammates essentially watched.
Slater led the offensive line in both pass block and run block grades, but both still ended up below 70.0 (69.9 and 63.1, respectively).
Despite four interceptions, Herbert still ended with an average grade. Dobbins and the run game was ineffective most of the day thanks to underwhelming play from the interior of the offensive line but he had a couple strong runs before they gave up hoping to establish their ground game.
Worst
WR Quentin Johnston – 37.5
OG Jamaree Salyer – 43.3
TE Will Dissly – 46.1
OG Zion Johnson – 48.9
OT Joe Alt – 51.7
One game after posting career highs in both receptions and receiving yards, Johnston recorded zero catches on five targets with one drop. Dissly led the team with two drops, one of which led to an interception and the other on a play that would converted a second-and-long.
No interior offensive lineman ended with a grad above 60.0. It was a bad day all around for a group that could not figure out how to handle the stunts and twists being sent by the Texans defense.
Alt recorded the offensive line’s worst run-block grade at 44.0.
Defense
Best
S Tony Jefferson – 95.0
S Alohi Gilman – 91.6
DT Teair Tart – 80.6
CB Tarheeb Still – 75.6
DT Poona Ford – 74.3
What a day by Jefferson and Gilman. Both recorded elite grades with Jefferson posting the highest grade on the entire team. Gilman’s 89.6 led the way in coverage for all players.
Tart posted an elite 90.0 in pass rush, surprisingly just second on the defense behind Jefferson’s 94.3. Still’s 76.3 in coverage was third best on the team.
Ford’s 74.8 in run defense was best on the team among qualifying players.
Worst
EDGE Joey Bosa – 44.8
DT Morgan Fox – 45.6
LB Troy Dye – 47.4
EDGE Bud Dupree – 49.4
CB Kristian Fulton – 51.3
This is not how Bosa wanted to end what may be his last season in powder blue. He posted the worst run defense grade on the team (36.8) and the second-worst tackling grade (26.6). Oh, and he had the defense’s only penalty with an offsides flag.
Fulton allowed his team-leading sixth touchdown on the year to Texans wideout Nico Collins. His 27.5 tackling grade was also third worst on the team. He allowed three receptions on six targets for 59 yards, including a 41-yarder to Collins, the longest completion by Houston on the day.