Saturday’s an Ohio State revenge game for Texans’ C.J. Stroud

C.J. Stroud has an opportunity to serve up a healthy plate of revenge on Jim Harbaugh when the Texans and Chargers kick off the NFL playoffs on Saturday. The two individuals will meet for the first time in the NFL but they’ve been on opposite sidelines in big games before.

Harbaugh’s Chargers (11-6) are favorites at Houston (10-7) on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, CBS), his first meeting with Stroud since taking the Michigan Wolverines into Ohio Stadium and beating the Buckeyes, 45-23, on Nov. 26, 2022. In fact, Harbaugh was 2-0 against Stroud in Michigan-Ohio State games, including a 42-27 victory in Ann Arbor the year before. Stroud said this week that he relishes the underdog role, and happy to put the pressure on the Chargers.

“For us, we know we have faith in what we can do,” Stroud said. “We’re motivated to play well. I kind of like being on underdog. I’ve been the underdog a lot of my life and my career so it’s actually comfortable for me.”

Making Stroud uncomfortable will be the goal of Derwin James, the AFC’s Defensive Player of the Month. The Chargers’ defensive staff should know how to do that. When Harbaugh left Michigan to become Chargers head coach last January, he brought with him defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and five other defensive coaches. Former Wolverines coaches now on Harbaugh’s staff include defensive line coach Mike Elston, linebackers coach NaVorro Bowman, defensive backs coach Steve Clinksdale, defensive analyst Rick Minter and defensive assistant Dylan Roney.

Harbaugh improved the Chargers by six wins over the season prior to his arrival, when they finished 5-12. Their defense allowed the fewest points per game (17.7) in the NFL. Stroud has heard the doubts directed in the Texans’ direction, but he’s not worried.

“Noise is always going to be there,” he said. “It’s part of the sports; it’s always evident in the sport. They said the same things about us last year, playing the Browns … We went out there and we did what we had to do to win. And that’s ultimately what the playoffs come down to. It’s 14 teams now, and the microscope is on you.”

Last season, Stroud became the youngest quarterback ever to win a postseason start and finished the playoffs with a 109.3 passer rating, throwing for 449 yards and three touchdowns without an interception over his two games, a home win over Cleveland and a loss at Baltimore.

The Buckeyes, meanwhile, are playing Texas in a College Football Playoff national semifinal on Friday in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

For more information on the Texans and Chargers, visit the Houston and L.A. Chargers team pages at ProFootballPost.com.