The Houston Texans (9-7) entered Week 17 on a minor rest and a date with an MVP quarterback in Lamar Jackson. The results went about as well as the fans planned.
Houston never found an offensive rhythm as Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens picked apart the defense in a 31-2 win on Christmas Day. The Texans already secured the AFC South division title, but a defeat at home guaranteed them the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoffs.
Coming into the year, many thought Houston would compete alongside Kansas City for the AFC title. Perhaps the Texans would have finished with more than 10 wins if injuries didn’t hinder any growth behind C.J. Stroud.
Yes, the Texans will host a playoff game. They’ll likely finish with the same record as the previous year so long as starters play in Week 18 against the Tennessee Titans. That doesn’t mean they weren’t underwhelming in a season where expectations swirled around potential Super Bowl buzz.
Here’s how the Texans fare in national media power rankings polls heading into the weekend slate of games: