In every postseason conversation, there’s good news and bad news.
For the Houston Texans, the message is simple: keep winning and watch what happens next.
Sitting at 10-5 following a 23-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the Texans are in great shape for a third straight playoff appearance going into Week 17. Even though they’ve yet to clinch a bid, having 10 wins puts Houston at a 98.6 percent chance of entering the postseason conversation for Week 17’s road trip against the Los Angeles Chargers.
So, can Houston clinch its spot in the postseason with a win on Saturday? Yes. And even in a loss, the Texans would make the playoffs should the Jacksonville Jaguars defeat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17.
For Houston to be in the hunt for a division title, it must win on the road and then pull for the Colts to bring back 44-year-old to take care of business against the Chiefs this week at home. Should that happen, both teams would be tied at 10-5 entering the final two games of the regular season.
Here’s the latest AFC playoff picture entering Thursday’s matchup between the Seattle Sehawks and Los Angeles Rams:
NFL playoff picture (AFC)Denver Broncos: 12-3New England Patriots: 12-3Jacksonville Jaguars: 11-4Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-6Los Angeles Chargers: 11-4Buffalo Bills: 11-4Houston Texans: 10-5
The Colts (8-6) and Baltimore Ravens (7-8) are also still in the hunt in the AFC, though Baltimore might be out of contention for a wild-card spot since it has head-to-head losses to both Houston and Buffalo.
After facing the Chargers on Saturday, Houston will head home against the Colts in Week 18.
Everything now is about winning. Should Houston finish 12-5, it would essentially be a lock for a playoff bid, regardless of the Ravens, Bills, Steelers and Chargers outcome.