Game story
In Week 1 of the 2013 NFL season on 2013-09-09, the Houston Texans took care of business against the Los Angeles Chargers, pulling away with a 31–28 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 17 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
M. Schaub (Houston Texans) paced the passing game, with +11.68 total EPA, and +12.8% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, M. Schaub (Houston Texans) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +11.68 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-31.4% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Los Angeles Chargers changed the game: (9:38) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left intended for 39-D.Woodhead INTERCEPTED by 56-B.Cushing at LAC 18. 56-B.Cushing for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on LAC-76-D.Fluker, Unnecessary Roughness,
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | 7 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 31 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 M. Schaub · Houston Texans · Passing · +11.68 total EPA · 48 snaps · +0.24 EPA/play
- 2 A. Johnson · Houston Texans · Receiving · +9.30 total EPA · 16 snaps · +0.58 EPA/play
- 3 D. Hopkins · Houston Texans · Receiving · +5.10 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.85 EPA/play
- 4 P. Rivers · Los Angeles Chargers · Passing · +4.00 total EPA · 34 snaps · +0.12 EPA/play
- 5 A. Gates · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +3.81 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.95 EPA/play
- 6 V. Brown · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +2.97 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.74 EPA/play
- 7 G. Graham · Houston Texans · Receiving · +2.85 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.57 EPA/play
- 8 R. Brown · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +2.39 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.19 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
M. Schaub — HOU · Passing
M. Schaub posted the highest total EPA (+11.68) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Houston Texans's efficiency. Across 48 counted snaps, they averaged +0.24 EPA per play.
The signature play (-7.15 EPA) came from Los Angeles Chargers: (9:38) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left intended for 39-D.Woodhead INTERCEPTED by 56-B.Cushing at LAC 18. 56-B.Cushing for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on LAC-76-D.Fluker, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced b
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Los Angeles Chargers — R. Mathews (P. Rivers pass)
- Houston Texans — O. Daniels (M. Schaub pass)
- Los Angeles Chargers — E. Royal (P. Rivers pass)
- Los Angeles Chargers — V. Brown (P. Rivers pass)
- Los Angeles Chargers — E. Royal (P. Rivers pass)
- Houston Texans — G. Graham (M. Schaub pass)
- Houston Texans — O. Daniels (M. Schaub pass)
- Houston Texans — B. Cushing
Field goals
- Houston Texans — R. Bullock
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: The quarter finished even at 7–7. Los Angeles Chargers found the end zone from the HOU 14 (Q1 59:50) — (14:50) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short right to 24-R.Mathews for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Chargers added 1 points from the HOU 2 (Q1 59:45) — 9-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-47-M.Windt, Holder-5-M.Scifres.; Houston Texans found the end zone from the LAC 1 (Q1 48:16) — (3:16) 8-M.Schaub pass short middle to 81-O.Daniels for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the LAC 2 (Q1 48:11) — 4-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler..
The second quarter: Los Angeles Chargers won the period 14–0. Los Angeles Chargers found the end zone from the HOU 6 (Q2 42:30) — (12:30) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 11-E.Royal for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Chargers added 1 points from the HOU 2 (Q2 42:24) — 9-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-47-M.Windt, Holder-5-M.Scifres.; Los Angeles Chargers found the end zone from the HOU 10 (Q2 30:26); Los Angeles Chargers added 1 points from the HOU 2 (Q2 30:18) — 9-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-47-M.Windt, Holder-5-M.Scifres..
The third quarter: The quarter finished even at 7–7. Los Angeles Chargers found the end zone from the HOU 1 (Q3 25:46) — (10:46) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 11-E.Royal for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Chargers added 1 points from the HOU 2 (Q3 25:42) — 9-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-47-M.Windt, Holder-5-M.Scifres.; Houston Texans found the end zone from the LAC 7 (Q3 20:02) — (5:02) 8-M.Schaub pass short middle to 88-G.Graham for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the LAC 2 (Q3 19:57) — 4-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler..
The fourth quarter: Houston Texans won the period 17–0. Houston Texans found the end zone from the LAC 9 (Q4 14:44) — (14:44) 8-M.Schaub pass short right to 81-O.Daniels for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the LAC 2 (Q4 14:44) — 4-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.; Houston Texans found the end zone from the HOU 87 (Q4 9:38); Houston Texans added 1 points from the LAC 2 (Q4 9:30) — 4-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.; Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the LAC 23 (Q4 0:05) — (:05) 4-R.Bullock 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q4 9:38) — (9:38) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left intended for 39-D.Woodhead INTERCEPTED by 56-B.Cushing at LAC 18. 56-B.Cushing for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on LAC-76-D.Fluker, Unnecessary Roughness,
- Houston Texans (Q4 0:05) — (:05) 4-R.Bullock 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.
- Houston Texans (Q4 1:49) — (1:49) (Shotgun) 8-M.Schaub pass short right to 80-A.Johnson to LAC 24 for 8 yards (22-D.Cox).
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q1 59:50) — (14:50) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short right to 24-R.Mathews for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Houston Texans (Q4 2:37) — (2:37) 23-A.Foster right guard to LAC 38 for 3 yards (92-C.Thomas, 97-B.Bird).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q4 9:38) — (9:38) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left intended for 39-D.Woodhead INTERCEPTED by 56-B.Cushing at LAC 18. 56-B.Cushing for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on LAC-76-D.Fluker, Unnecessary Roughness,
- Houston Texans (Q1 59:55) — (14:55) 8-M.Schaub pass short left intended for 81-O.Daniels INTERCEPTED by 92-C.Thomas (96-J.Johnson) at HOU 14. 92-C.Thomas to HOU 14 for no gain (76-D.Brown).
- Houston Texans (Q3 15:44) — (:44) (Shotgun) 8-M.Schaub pass deep right to 10-D.Hopkins to LAC 21 for 30 yards (22-D.Cox).
- Houston Texans (Q2 38:39) — (8:39) 23-A.Foster left end to LAC 27 for no gain (97-B.Bird, 94-C.Liuget).
Quarterback report card
M.Schaub led all passers in efficiency for Houston Texans, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- M.Schaub (Houston Texans) · 48 dropbacks · 70.8% completion · +12.8% CPOE · +0.24 EPA/play · +11.68 total EPA
- P.Rivers (Los Angeles Chargers) · 34 dropbacks · 41.2% completion · -7.0% CPOE · +0.12 EPA/play · +4.00 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Houston Texans | Los Angeles Chargers |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.100 | +0.052 |
| Offensive success rate | 49.5% | 42.3% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.243 | +0.118 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.123 | -0.106 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.052 | -0.100 |
| Defensive success rate | 57.7% | 50.5% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Houston Texans +0.10, Los Angeles Chargers +0.05) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Houston Texans: 12 drives, +9.71 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
- Los Angeles Chargers: 12 drives, +3.72 total EPA, 5 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Houston Texans leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- M. Schaub (Houston Texans) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- M. Schaub (HOU) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
- P. Rivers (LAC) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Los Angeles Chargers TD (+6) — Q1 59:50 · HOU 14 · Score 0-6
(14:50) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short right to 24-R.Mathews for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Chargers XP (+1) — Q1 59:45 · HOU 2 · Score 0-7
9-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-47-M.Windt, Holder-5-M.Scifres. - Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q1 48:16 · LAC 1 · Score 6-7
(3:16) 8-M.Schaub pass short middle to 81-O.Daniels for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q1 48:11 · LAC 2 · Score 7-7
4-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler. - Los Angeles Chargers TD (+6) — Q2 42:30 · HOU 6 · Score 7-13
(12:30) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 11-E.Royal for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Chargers XP (+1) — Q2 42:24 · HOU 2 · Score 7-14
9-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-47-M.Windt, Holder-5-M.Scifres. - Los Angeles Chargers TD (+6) — Q2 30:26 · HOU 10 · Score 7-20
(:26) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 86-V.Brown to HOU 1 for 9 yards (24-J.Joseph). The Replay Assistant challenged the runner broke the plane ruling, - Los Angeles Chargers XP (+1) — Q2 30:18 · HOU 2 · Score 7-21
9-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-47-M.Windt, Holder-5-M.Scifres. - Los Angeles Chargers TD (+6) — Q3 25:46 · HOU 1 · Score 7-27
(10:46) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 11-E.Royal for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Chargers XP (+1) — Q3 25:42 · HOU 2 · Score 7-28
9-N.Novak extra point is GOOD, Center-47-M.Windt, Holder-5-M.Scifres. - Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q3 20:02 · LAC 7 · Score 13-28
(5:02) 8-M.Schaub pass short middle to 88-G.Graham for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q3 19:57 · LAC 2 · Score 14-28
4-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler. - Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q4 14:44 · LAC 9 · Score 20-28
(14:44) 8-M.Schaub pass short right to 81-O.Daniels for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q4 14:44 · LAC 2 · Score 21-28
4-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler. - Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q4 9:38 · HOU 87 · Score 27-28
(9:38) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left intended for 39-D.Woodhead INTERCEPTED by 56-B.Cushing at LAC 18. 56-B.Cushing for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on - Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q4 9:30 · LAC 2 · Score 28-28
4-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler. - Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q4 0:05 · LAC 23 · Score 31-28
(:05) 4-R.Bullock 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-9-S.Lechler.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Chargers?
The Houston Texans beat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-28 in Week 1, 2013 on 2013-09-09.
What was the final score of Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Chargers?
The final score was Houston Texans 31, Los Angeles Chargers 28 (HOU 31-28 LAC) in Week 1, 2013 on 2013-09-09.
What was the score by quarter in Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Chargers?
Q1: Houston Texans 7, Los Angeles Chargers 7; Q2: Houston Texans 0, Los Angeles Chargers 14; Q3: Houston Texans 7, Los Angeles Chargers 7; Q4: Houston Texans 17, Los Angeles Chargers 0; Final: Houston Texans 31, Los Angeles Chargers 28.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Chargers?
Los Angeles Chargers touchdown — R. Mathews (P. Rivers pass) (Q1 59:50) Houston Texans touchdown — O. Daniels (M. Schaub pass) (Q1 48:16) Los Angeles Chargers touchdown — E. Royal (P. Rivers pass) (Q2 42:30) Los Angeles Chargers touchdown — V. Brown (P. Rivers pass) (Q2 30:26) Los Angeles Chargers touchdown — E. Royal (P. Rivers pass) (Q3 25:46) Houston Texans touchdown — G. Graham (M. Schaub pass) (Q3 20:02) Houston Texans touchdown — O. Daniels (M. Schaub pass) (Q4 14:44) Houston Texans touchdown — B. Cushing (Q4 9:38) Houston Texans field goal — R. Bullock (Q4 0:05, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Chargers?
M. Schaub (Houston Texans), 70.8% completion, +12.8% CPOE, +0.24 EPA per dropback, +11.68 total passing EPA. P. Rivers (Los Angeles Chargers), 41.2% completion, -7.0% CPOE, +0.12 EPA per dropback, +4.00 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Chargers?
M. Schaub (Houston Texans) led the game in total EPA with +11.68 on passing plays. across 48 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-7.15 EPA): (9:38) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left intended for 39-D.Woodhead INTERCEPTED by 56-B.Cushing at LAC 18. 56-B.Cushing for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on LAC-76-D.Fluker, Unn. The biggest win-probability swing was -31.4%.
Was Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Chargers a close game?
Yes — the margin was 3 points. Houston Texans won 31-28 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
Houston Texans
Now 1-0 W
Los Angeles Chargers
Now 0-1 L
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