The Chargers kicked off preseason play with a 27-7 win against the Houston Texans on Thursday night.
Here's a game recap from the Bolts preseason opener:
Turning Point
The Bolts dominated the fourth quarter in Houston, turning a close game into a double-digit victory in preseason play.
The Chargers won the toss and elected to receive, with the offense putting together a scoring drive to open the game.
Trey Lance started at quarterback and helped move the Bolts into field goal range before Cameron Dicker hit a 34-yarder for an early lead.
Houston responded with a touchdown before the teams traded punts as the Bolts then got their ground game working.
With new Chargers Offensive Coordinator Mike McDaniel's love of the run game well known, the Bolts ended their third series with six straight running plays — although one of them was a scramble from Lance.
The sixth and final run, however, was for six points as Amar Johnson powered in from seven yards out.
Each defense then stepped up for the rest of the first half as the Chargers took a 10-7 lead into the break.
Lance started the second half and played one series, but it led to more points as Dicker nailed a 48-yard field goal.
Johnson then provided a fourth-quarter spark for the Chargers offense.
The running back caught a pass and raced 55 yards down to the 1-yard line before scoring on the ensuing play.
Johnson then added the 2-point conversion to bring the lead to 21-7 before the Bolts defense forced their first turnover of the game.
Linebacker Lander Barton, an undrafted rookie free agent, recovered a fumble and returned it to Houston's 21-yard line.
DJ Uiagalelei then put the Bolts up by three scores when he hit Devonte Ross for a 3-yard touchdown pass with just over 10 minutes to go.
Top Play
TeRah Edwards played like a man possessed at times on Thursday night in Houston.
Edwards, who spent last year on the Bolts practice squad, was credited with three tackles in the first half against the Texans.
His best stretch came in the second quarter with Houston's offense in the red zone.
On second-and-2, Edwards muscled his way for a run stop on a 1-yard rush.
After his teammates made it fourth-and-1, Edwards then stuffed a quarterback sneak for a turnover on downs.
Edwards has flashed at various points in camp and fared well in his first preseason action of 2026.
The Bolts later had another fourth-and-1 stop in the fourth quarter, with Avery Smith and Emany Johnson making the play.
Key Stat
KeAndre Lambert-Smith showed out in the Chargers preseason opener.
The second-year wide receiver was a favorite target of Lance, catching a team-high four passes for 58 yards in the first half alone.
Lambert-Smith, a 2025 fifth-round pick, had four catches in all of the 2024 preseason.
He also added a solid 28-yard kickoff return to open the game.
Scoring Summary
| Scoring Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | Chargers: (9:37) 34-yard field goal from Cameron Dicker | 3-0, Chargers |
| Texans: (3:51) 5-yard pass from Davis Mills to Jared Wayne | 7-3, Texans | |
| 2nd Quarter | Chargers: (10:32) 7-yard run by Amar Johnson | 10-7, Chargers |
| 3rd Quarter | Chargers: (5:21) 48-yard field goal from Cameron Dicker | 13-7, Chargers |
| 4th Quarter | Chargers: (13:43) 1-yard run by Amar Johnson (2-point try good) | 21-7, Chargers |
| Chargers: (10:08) 3-yard pass from DJ Uiagalelei to Devonte Ross (kick fail) | 27-7, Chargers |
Up Next
The Chargers will host the 49ers in a preseason matchup on August 20 at SoFi Stadium.
