Following a 23-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium, the Houston Texans improved to 8-5 in the 2024 campaign.
Entering the bye week, they remain the AFC South favorites and the fourth seed in the conference standings, trailing Kansas City Chiefs (11-1), Buffalo Bills (10-2) and Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3).
Kansas City and Buffalo have already clinched playoff berths, with the latter clinching the AFC East title. The Texans likely would need chaos to ensue, along with a win next week, to guarantee their spot in the College Football Playoff.
Should Houston somehow drop the division title, it would remain in the hunt for a wild-card berth. Well, at least for the time being alongside the Denver Broncos (8-5), Baltimore Ravens (8-5) and Los Angeles Chargers (8-4).
The Texans will play the Miami Dolphins, Chiefs and Ravens following the bye. They also hold a two-game lead over the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South division race.
Houston controls its playoff fate. According to Andrew Mason of DenverSports.com, if the Broncos beat the Colts in Week 15, Houston would need to defeat the Dolphins at NRG Stadium to clinch a playoff berth.
Here’s a look at the AFC’s playoff picture entering Week 14.
AFC Playoff Picture
- Kansas City Chiefs (11-1)
- Buffalo Bills (10-2)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)
- Houston Texans (8-5)
- Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-5)
- Denver Broncos (8-5)
In the Hunt
- Indianapolis Colts (6-7)
- Miami Dolphins (5-7)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
And here’s where we stand with the AFC Playoff Picture pic.twitter.com/lrap89vRQ3
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 2, 2024
So, what are the Texans’ chances of reaching the postseason?
The Athletic gives Houston a 97% chance of reaching the playoffs. ESPN has given the team a 96% chance of making the playoffs and a 94% chance of winning the division. DVOA has the most optimistic outlook, giving the Texans a 96.8% chance to reach the postseason.
Houston has a week to prepare for the Dolphins, but players are currently resting. That’s a positive since the team will come ripping back after the bye to face off against three teams in 11 days, including the Ravens on Christmas.
