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Texans pick off four passes, push Chargers out of playoffs

AP photo by Eric Christian Smith / Houston Texans safety Eric Murray celebrates after returning an interception 38 yards for a touchdown against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers in the second half of an AFC wild-card matchup in the opening round of the NFL playoffs Saturday.
AP photo by Eric Christian Smith / Houston Texans safety Eric Murray celebrates after returning an interception 38 yards for a touchdown against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers in the second half of an AFC wild-card matchup in the opening round of the NFL playoffs Saturday.

By KRISTIE RIEKEN / The Associated Press 6 min read

HOUSTON — Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. said the team aims to force three turnovers a game.

On Saturday against the Los Angeles Chargers, they surpassed that goal with the All-Pro first-teamer grabbing two of Justin Herbert’s career-high four interceptions to help Houston roll to a 32-12 wild-card victory in the opening round of the NFL playoffs.

“We’re just going out there playing like we’ve got to get the ball to win,” Stingley said.

Eric Murray returned one of the interceptions for a touchdown, and C.J. Stroud threw a touchdown pass in the win for Houston (11-7), which reached the playoffs as the AFC South Division champion for the second season in a row and was seeded fourth but an underdog at home against fourth-seeded Los Angeles (11-7).

Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, quarterbacks are 55-551-2 when throwing four or more interceptions in the regular season and just 3-33 when doing so in the playoffs.