The Houston Texans are officially in control of their playoff chances.
After the Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the New England Patriots on Thursday, the Texans vaulted up to the third wildcard spot because of Houston’s slightly better win percentage. So, if the season ended before Sunday’s slate of Week 14 games, Houston would be the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoffs.
A win over the New York Jets in Week 14 would further cement their standings.
What’s funny, though, is the outcome of the Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars benefits the Texans regardless of who wins. If Cleveland beats Jacksonville, Houston would have a legitimate shot to take the AFC South and secure a home playoff game. But if the Jaguars win, the Texans could move up to as high as the No. 5 seed because of their record.
An Indianapolis Colts loss to the Cincinnati Bengals would be a cherry on top for Houston.
However, this is all dependent on whether the Texans can beat a feisty Jets squad. While New York is 4-8, half of their losses were by one score or fewer and they have the 13th-best scoring defense in the league.
The Steelers’ loss is huge for the Texans’ playoff bid, but the work is far from over.