Good morning, Chargers fans!
The Bolts may have found a guard who can pick up a stunt by the defensive line.
Jake Slaughter looked comfortable in his first game at left guard playing next to both Branson Taylor and Travis Burke who rotated at left tackle. In the clip below, you can see Slaughter recover well after overcommitting to a linemen looping away before getting back to the edge player in time for Trey Lance to make a move and escape the pocket. In another, he passed off a twist with ease which allowed for a comfortable pocket before Lance attempted a deep pass that came oh-so close to being a massive gain.
Some Jake Slaughter thoughts: better than I expected in pass pro at LG. In PFF's preliminary charting, just 1 pressure allowed vs. HOU.
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) August 14, 2026
Some adjustments to be made in the run game + pad level. But it was a good outing for his first experience at G. pic.twitter.com/uoGw8cjkcY
In his limited snap count, first-rounder Akheem Mesidor looked like he belonged with some impressive power off the line. The Texans sent extra blockers his way early on which is a testament to how he was viewed by the opposition.
Both wideout Brenen Thompson and Genesis Smith each had their moments as well. Thompson caught a pair of passes for 30 yards and looked comfortable running routes over the middle. Smith recovered from a DPI penalty to nearly make a one-handed interception in the end zone on the very next play.
UDFA defensive tackle Jahmeer Carter was a surprise standout with two tackles for loss and a sack, helping lead the way for a stout interior that denied a pair of fourth downs on the night.
Winning by 20 points, even in a preseason game, is still a good time and means the backups came ready to play. What other players do you think stood out on Thursday night? Let us know below!
And now for today’s links.
Chargers News:
Five takeaways from the Chargers’ first preseason game (Chargers.com)
Check out the game recap from the Chargers’ win over the Texans (Chargers.com)
Seven Chargers who stood out against the Texans (Chargers Wire)
Did Trey Lance underwhelm in his performance against Houston? (Bolt Beat)
NFL News:
10 takeaways from the preseason slate of games on Thursday night (NFL.com)
Will Fernando Mendoza’s debut force the Raiders’ hand? (CBS Sports)
Drew Allar had a phenomenal debut for the Steelers (ESPN)
Robert Salah thought Cam Ward looked “sped up” in their game against the 49ers (Pro Football Talk)
The Seahawks plan to sign cornerback Terrion Arnold despite legal issues (Bleacher Report)
Drafting Jadarian Price could come with some risks in fantasy football (Touchdown Wire)