HOUSTON – With Saturday’s 23-20 win over Tampa Bay, the Houston Texans clinched their fourth AFC South division title in five seasons and earned a spot in the AFC playoffs.
But going into the final week of the regular season there is still much to be determined, so don’t expect Bill O’Brien to rest any of his starters when the Tennessee Titans come into NRG Stadium on Sunday.
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“Any time we play, we play to win, so that’s how I answer that question,” O’Brien said when asked if he will fight for seeding this weekend. “We try to play to win.”
If the playoffs were to start today, the Texans would be the No. 4 seed and No. 5 seed Buffalo would be their opponent in the wild-card game at NRG Stadium. The winner of that game will earn the right to travel to face a Baltimore Ravens team that is looking almost unbeatable these days. Houston fans don’t need reminding of the 41-7 dismantling their team suffered at Baltimore last month.
Good thing for the Texans that they still have at least a puncher’s chance at the more favorable No. 3 seed. That would likely mean facing the Titans for a second straight week and for the third time in four weeks. Awaiting the winner of that wild-card matchup would be a vulnerable New England team that the Texans beat earlier this month.
In order to move into the No. 3 slot, the Texans would need to beat the Titans on Sunday and also would need the Kansas City Chiefs to lose at home to the Los Angeles Chargers. Right now, the Chiefs (11-4) have a full game lead on the Texans but the Texans own the tie-breaker by virtue of their head-to-head matchup earlier this season and a better conference record.
Suffice it to say, not only will the Texans and Titans have a lot to play for in their regular-season finale, but the Chiefs will, too, because nobody wants to face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in the Divisional round of the playoffs.