The Houston Texans went from worst to first in just one season. The Texans, who finished last in the AFC South last season, clinched the division title Sunday when Tennessee beat Jacksonville 28-20 to eliminate the Jaguars from playoff contention. Houston (10-7) secured its first playoff trip since 2019 with a 23-19 victory at Indianapolis on Saturday night before becoming division champs Sunday.
Houston coach DeMeco Ryans always anticipated his team's late-season trip to Indianapolis would look far different from their September matchup. Sixteen weeks after the two new coaches — Ryans and Shane Steichen — were peppered with questions about their quarterbacks of the future, they're playing a high-stakes, prime-time game with more immediate consequences: Win or go home. With 9-7 records, Houston and Indy surprisingly find themselves in a three-way tie atop the AFC South with one of those teams a win away from ending their playoff droughts.
Houston DE Will Anderson Jr., the third overall pick in the draft, missed practice this week and could be out for a third straight game with an ankle injury. LB Blake Cashman should return this week after missing the past two games with a hamstring injury. SERIES NOTES: This is the second meeting in three weeks between these teams.
The Houston Texans gave themselves a confidence boost winning without injured quarterback C.J. Stroud and several other key players. In the process, the Texans took a step toward possibly ending their playoff drought under first-year coach DeMeco Ryans. Ka'imi Fairbairn kicked a 54-yard field goal as time expired in overtime and the Texans — with backup Case Keenum at quarterback — rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat the Tennessee Titans 19-16 Sunday.