After starting their season 0-3, the Houston Texans have (10-5) gone on a 10-2 run to bring themselves to the brink of a third-straight AFC playoff berth. At this point, either another Houston win or an Indianapolis Colts (8-7) loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4) would clinch their trip to the dance. A victory would also keep the Texans in contention to possibly win the AFC South if the Jaguars falter in either of their final two games.
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Standing in the way of a Texans victory are the Los Angeles Chargers (11-4), who have won their last four straight and are in contention for both the AFC West lead and the #1 overall seed in the AFC. While it would be great to celebrate an eighth win in a row the Texans, one has to consider the larger picture in the event things don’t pan out as desired.
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Jayson Braddock (@JaysonBraddock on X), AFC South analyst for Dr. Roto, floated the idea of Houston possibly resting players if they drop their week 17 contest against the Chargers.
To paraphrase, if both the Texans and the Colts lose to their respective opponents this weekend, that would open the door to Houston being able to rest players while also celebrating a clinched playoff spot (seventh seed). This matters greatly, because the Texans had their bye week after week five’s victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Thus, week 18 would make 12 straight weeks of play.
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The sudden rash of injuries that have hit Houston also makes this a very practical idea. In just the last month, they have lost key defensive tackles Tim Settle Jr. and Mario Edwards to season ending injuries, as well as now having to monitor the health of running backs Woody Marks and Nick Chubb (Marks: ankle injury, Chubb: rib). They also lost starting offensive lineman Trent Brown and Aireontae Ersery to injuries against the Raiders (Brown: lower-body, Ersery: hand)
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Of course, losing out on the AFC South and having the seventh seed may not be the most palatable idea for fans and media. However, the NFL is a marathon, and any chance to preserve players while also gearing up for a playoff run is akin to a team having their cake and eating it too.
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The Texans are a team that has known nothing but high-pressure football since week three. Every game has been a “must-win”, and the team has answered the bell every single time. The fact that they have played their way into a rest vs. play conversation should be a gigantic feather in the cap of head coach DeMeco Ryans, the front office and the entire 53-man roster.
With that said, the Texans will head into their AFC clash vs. the Chargers with a win in mind. Quarterback C.J. Stroud and the 19th-ranked scoring offense have a lot to work on before the playoffs begin, and Saturday afternoon would be a great time to figure some things out.
Do you think the Texans should rest starters if they get the chance? Let us know in the comments section below and on the official Texans Roundtable X account, @Texans_RTB!