The Houston Texans can only control what’s ahead.
That includes a victory in Week 18 over the Tennessee Titans to secure a 10-win season.
That includes responding in the wild-card round when they host a playoff game against the top-ranked wild-card roster.
Looking back at a 31-2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens won’t do anyone good. Neither is looking back on the previous four losses in six games after starting the year off 6-3.
Houston might have a 9-7 record, but it’s a division winner. That’s all that matters entering the regular season finale.
Earlier this week, DeMeco Ryans said that Lamar Jackson should be the MVP.
Plays like this are why..
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) December 25, 2024
“The records really don’t concern me,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday. “I never go into a game thinking about a team’s record, whether it’s a winning or losing record. Every week it’ll be about how you show up to the game and how you play within those three and a half hours.”
The previous three hours of play will be one Houston hopes to forget. After trailing by 10, the Texans forced a safety on All-Pro running back Derrick Henry. The offense drove once more and landed inside Baltimore’s 5 with a chance to tie the game.
Texans fans are not pleased with that series and punt pic.twitter.com/GuDygNnIuT
— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) December 25, 2024
But back-to-back underwhelming play calls led to a turnover on downs at the 1-yard line. Three plays later, Lamar Jackson found Mark Andrews for a 67-yard gain.
Two plays after that, the MVP candidate connected with Isaiah Likely for a 9-yard score and extended the lead to 15.
Ryans, who has Houston in the playoffs, said that regardless of records, it’s about the team that afternoon.
“It just matters are you the best team within that time frame,” Ryans said. “The records really don’t matter and definitely doesn’t matter when you go into the playoffs. Just all about looking internally and playing your best.”
Houston hopes to be the better team next Sunday at Nissan Stadium against the three-win Titans. The plan is for it to carry over into the second week of January.