ankle

Oronde Gadsden II had the ball in his hands.

He could feel it against his gloves — and the sensation of the ball bouncing out of his grasp before it fell into the arms of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.

Gadsden’s goal-line gaffe was one of several mistakes that played a role in ending the Chargers’ four-game win streak last weekend.

Quarterback Justin Herbert, however, continued to target the rookie tight end after the missed catch, providing a much-needed morale boost, Gadsden said.

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair intercepts a pass that deflected off the hands of Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II, bottom, during the Chargers’ loss on Dec. 27.

(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)

“It means a lot that he’s able to keep looking at me and keep throwing me the ball even after what happened,” said Gadsden, who has caught 47 passes for 641 yards and three touchdowns. “But it’d be better if we just make the plays. I know it can’t always go like that — can’t always go your way.”

Against the AFC West champion Denver Broncos (13-3) on Sunday, Gadsden will have a final chance to fine-tune his game ahead of the wild-card playoffs. But for some of the Chargers’ other starters, the game will offer something different.

Herbert will not play, giving him a chance to rest his surgically repaired left hand ahead of the playoffs. Trey Lance will start in Herbert’s place. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Friday that other starters would play only in a backup or emergency capacity.

Lance, who spoke to reporters Wednesday, said he’s “very thankful” and ready for his first start with the Chargers and fifth overall for the 25-year-old.

“Going through everything my first five years in the league, I’ve just learned to take everything one day at a time, one hour at a time,” said Lance, selected third overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 draft. “If I’m in a meeting, that’s where I’m at. If I’m at home, it’s where I’m at.”

Along with Herbert, running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) also will not play — a move that could be precautionary since the rookie spent roughly half of the season on injured reserve after fracturing his left ankle.

Offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer (hamstring), who had slotted in at left tackle after Joe Alt’s season-ending injury, hasn’t practiced in two weeks and is listed doubtful.

Rookie offensive lineman Branson Taylor took reps at left guard in practice last week, which could be a sign that Zion Johnson, who has started every game at the position, may take a breather against Denver.

“I’m going to take full advantage of the opportunity,” said Taylor, who was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday.

Veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen told reporters he plans to play in order to achieve incentives that could add $1.75 million to his one-year contract. He has 74 catches for 741 yards.

Meanwhile, Denver is expected to play its starters as it tries to clinch the AFC’s top playoff seed and a first-round bye. The Chargers would be more than happy to play spoiler against their divisional foe, Gadsden said, as they go for an AFC West sweep on the season.

“I don’t think that us having dudes sit down lessens any chances that we have — any motivation or confidence — to win the game,” Gadsden said.

Kicker Harrison Mevis aims to get back on track when the Rams play the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Mevis, signed by the Rams in November, made all eight of his field-goal attempts before missing from 48 yards late in the fourth quarter of the Rams’ 38-37 overtime defeat by the Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 18 in Seattle.

“Just continuing to keep firing away,” Mevis said. “I’m not going to be perfect in my career — nobody is. And it’s all about how you respond and bounce back and make the next kick.”

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Gary Klein breaks down everything you need to know heading into Monday night’s matchup between the Rams and the Atlanta Falcons.

In the aftermath of the loss, which included a fourth-quarter punt return for a touchdown by the Seahawks, Rams coach Sean McVay fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn.

Three of the Rams’ four losses have resulted from major kicking-game miscues, and Blackburn’s firing was just the latest change made to solve the issues.

When the Rams signed Mevis to replace Joshua Karty — who last week was signed by the Arizona Cardinals off the Rams practice squad — they also brought in veteran snapper Jake McQuaide to replace Alex Ward.

The game against the Falcons will serve as Ben Kotwica’s debut as interim special teams coordinator.

Kotwica has worked in the NFL for most of the last 18 years, and he coached with McVay on Washington’s staff. Kotwica was the Denver Broncos special teams coordinator in 2023 and 2024 before joining the Rams staff as a special teams assistant.

“We’ve had a couple of plays that have cost us during the course of the year, but I love the way that our guys are going about the business,” Kotwica said. “They understand the urgency. We’re part of a championship football team and we’re just ready to contribute to holding up that Lombardi [Trophy] early next year.”

Key injuries

Rams: OL Kevin Dotson (ankle, out); DB Josh Wallace (ankle, out); WR Davante Adams (hamstring, doubtful); OL Alaric Jackson (knee, questionable); DL Braden Fiske (ankle, questionable but expected to play); CB Roger McCreary (hip, expected to be activated to roster from injured reserve).

Falcons: CB Mike Hughes (ankle, out); CB Clark Phillips III (triceps/illness, out); DL Sam Roberts (knee/ankle, out); WR Drake London (knee, questionable).

How to watch and listen to Rams vs. Falcons

The Rams (11-4) and the Atlanta Falcons (6-9) will play at 5:15 p.m. PST Monday. The game will be shown on ABC in the Los Angeles area and nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. In Southern California, fans can listen to the game on 710 AM, 93.1 FM and 1330 AM (Español).

Betting odds and lines for Rams vs. Falcons

Who will win Rams vs. Falcons?

Gary Klein’s pick: A few weeks ago, this looked like a potential easy victory for the Rams. Now it could be more difficult. Still, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will outduel Kirk Cousins. Rams 30, Falcons 24

The Chargers have never won five in a row under coach Jim Harbaugh, but they have a chance to do so Saturday. It won’t be easy against this Houston Texans defense, ranked No. 1 in the NFL.

The Texans crushed the Chargers in the first round of the playoffs last season, intercepting Justin Herbert four times in a 32-12 drubbing.

Now, the Texans are riding a seven-game winning streak and haven’t dropped a game since a three-point home loss to Denver at the beginning of November.

The Chargers clinched a playoff berth this week but are looking for more than a wild-card spot. If they win Saturday, the AFC West title — and at least one more game at SoFi Stadium — is within reach. Even the AFC’s No. 1 seed is in play.

How the Texans can win: Houston’s defense can hold up against the run and has the secondary to challenge Herbert, but the Texans offense has been one of the league’s worst in the red zone. The Texans need to convert those opportunities into touchdowns. C.J. Stroud is at his best throwing between the numbers when protection holds, although he has a suspect offensive line, and the Texans will lean on short passes to compensate for a shaky running game. Forcing a turnover or two is critical. Houston thrives when it shortens the field and avoids asking the offense to sustain long drives. Field goals alone won’t be enough.

How the Chargers can win: Control the game with balance and patience. Houston’s defense is opportunistic and excellent at forcing turnovers, but it can be stressed if Herbert has time and the Chargers stay committed to the run. That won’t be easy if Kimani Vidal is out. Even modest success on the ground forces the Texans to respect play-action fakes and opens throwing lanes, particularly over the middle. Herbert’s ability to escape pressure and run, especially up the middle against man coverage, could be a hidden weapon late. If the Chargers protect the ball and finish drives instead of settling for field goals, they can keep Houston from dictating the tempo.

It’s a testament to the coaching of Jim Harbaugh that the Chargers have been decidedly un-Charger-like this season, continuing to win games despite a slew of pivotal injuries. They’re coming off back-to-back victories over the two teams in last season’s Super Bowl, Philadelphia and Kansas City.

Their challenge Sunday is beating the Cowboys, who went 3-1 in November but began this month with consecutive losses.

The Cowboys lead the league in offense, rolling up nearly 400 yards per game, but they’re 29th in total defense and last against the pass. Facing Justin Herbert is not a favorable matchup for them.

Dallas was eliminated from postseason contention with a Week 15 loss to Minnesota.

The Chargers can clinch a playoff berth with a win and a loss or tie by Indianapolis (versus San Francisco) or Houston (vs. Las Vegas).

How the Chargers can win: If Herbert has time, he should be able to dissect a suspect Cowboys secondary and relies heavily on zone coverage. That has led to a bunch of explosive plays. The Cowboys are vulnerable to the run, as well, and a balanced attack by the Chargers will take them a long way. Get another strong performance from the defense.

How the Cowboys can win: Be aggressive and play to win, not to protect leads. That means outscoring the Chargers, not settling for field goals because Brandon Aubrey is such a weapon. It would help the Cowboys to take some risks and go for it on fourth down more frequently. They can put points on the board, but more often they move the ball well between the 20s. Even a small improvement on defense would help.