Joe Mixon and the Houston Texans came away with a dominant 32-12 win against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card Round. The Texans’ defense deserves the credit for the win as they forced Justin Herbert into throwing four interceptions, but the team’s offense also did well against the league’s best scoring defense.
The Texans prepare to likely go on the road in the next round. However, before that, they deserved to celebrate the win against the Chargers, and Mixon did it by calling out a former New York Jets head coach.
Joe Mixon Throws Shade at Rex Ryan in Post-Game Celebration
While Mixon and his teammates were celebrating in the locker room, the star running back, who was smoking a cigar, took a dig at Rex Ryan.
“Smoking on that Rex Ryan bye-week pack,” Mixon said.
This came after the current ESPN analyst said the Chargers got a bye in the Wild Card Round as they were up against a struggling Texans team.
Rex Ryan said the Chargers have a “bye week” facing the Texans.
Joe Mixon is celebrating that now: pic.twitter.com/YsTPkjB1ev
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 12, 2025
The Texans came into the playoffs losing two of their last four games, and C.J. Stroud was playing poorly. The team was also without Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs, both out due to injuries, which gave the Chargers an advantage.
Los Angeles was a three-point favorite on the road in this matchup, but the Texans completely outplayed them. The AFC South champions played their best football at the right time and silenced all their critics, including Ryan.
Mixon has been worth every penny the Texans have paid him. After getting traded to Houston from Cincinnati, the 28-year-old player signed a three-year, $25.5 million restructured contract. He rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries against the Chargers.
Mixon accounted for double the rushing yards the entire Chargers’ offense had in the Wild Card game. This win is huge for the Texans as they prepare to face some of the AFC’s titans in the postseason.
Texans Pull Off Second Playoff Win With C.J. Stroud, DeMeco Ryans
The Texans surprised many by winning against the Chargers. They now have an opportunity to shock the entire world in the Divisional Round, where they are set to potentially face the back-to-back Super Bowl champions, assuming the AFC’s No. 2 and 3-seeded teams win on Wild Card Weekend.
Houston lost 27-19 to Kansas City earlier this season, but the team’s defense played well against the Chargers, and they will be confident in doing the same against Patrick Mahomes.
Mixon has been impressive for the Texans throughout the season, but he will be up against a defense that plays significantly better in the playoffs. The Chiefs’ defense was already quite good in the regular season (PFN Defense+ grade: 75.8, C, 14th in the NFL), but with Jaylen Watson back from injury, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will make life tougher for the opposing quarterbacks.
Stroud has struggled throughout the season (PFN QB+ grade: 68.2, D+, 27th in the NFL; Wild Card grade: 79.0), and he could be further exposed against the Chiefs as Spagnuolo would look to take advantage of the Texans’ weak offensive line. The Ohio State product threw two interceptions in the Week 16 matchup against the Chiefs and had a passer rating of 73.0 (Week 16 QB+ grade: 74.2).
Kansas City’s starters haven’t played since Christmas. Mahomes and his teammates are well-rested to get the job done against the Texans and lead the team to its seventh straight AFC Championship Game.
If the Texans defeat the Chiefs, it will be one of the biggest upsets in recent history. Mixon won a playoff game against Kansas City during his time with the Bengals, and his experience could benefit the rest of the team.