Chargers Seek First Win as Texans Face Upset Alert in Week 9
Three road favorites are on the lookout for upsets, with the 0-7 Chargers having a potential opening against a porous Texans defense.
By Fernando Rojas ·
Los Angeles Chargers general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Jim Harbaugh must win a game at some point. The Chargers are 0-7, and they rank last in the NFL with 14.1 points per game. They also lead the league with 17 turnovers. Los Angeles has not scored a touchdown since the third quarter of Week 5.
Texas is on the lookout for an upset this week. The Texans have allowed 30 or more points three times this season. They also allowed three opponents to pass for more than 300 yards. In 2025, Houston allowed only one 30-point game and no 300-yard passing performances. If the Texans continue to struggle defensively, the Chargers may find a way to win at home.
The Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots are both 5-3. Both teams started the season 1-2 and have won four of their last five games. Jordan Love leads the NFL in passing yards. Drake Maye leads the league in total yards and touchdowns over the last five weeks. The Patriots have lost wideout A.J. Brown to a knee injury and tight end Hunter Henry to a foot injury. The Packers have allowed 14.6 points per game over their last five games, which ranks third in the NFL.
The Minnesota Vikings face the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. Buffalo averages 33.3 points per game. Minnesota holds opponents to 13.3 points per game. The Vikings lead the NFL with a 69.1% blitz rate. Josh Allen has an 88.2 passer rating against the blitz. He has thrown three interceptions this season against that pressure. Minnesota acquired Kyler Murray this offseason, but his performance has not met expectations. The Bills defense allows 25.9 points per game.
The Denver Broncos play the Carolina Panthers on Thursday. The Panthers are 6-4 as home underdogs since the start of last season. Bryce Young was sacked 11 times in the last two games. The Broncos have 23 sacks, which is tied for fourth in the league. The Bengals and Falcons meet in Madrid, Spain. The Bengals lost three defenders to injuries in their last game against Tennessee. Cam Ward threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns in that contest. The Falcons will have edge rusher James Pearce Jr. back after serving an eight-game suspension. The Bengals allow 4.8 yards per rush, which is tied for fourth highest in the NFL.
Games start at 4:25 p.m. ET for the Green Bay-New England and Buffalo-Minnesota contests. The Houston-Los Angeles game starts at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Denver-Carolina game starts at 1 p.m. ET. The Cincinnati-Atlanta game starts at 9:30 a.m. ET.
