For the Houston Texans to win the AFC South, they needed a late-season breakthrough and a collapse from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023. This year, we will be able to win in mid-December.
Even if they advance, they will still have room to play until Week 17. They are two games behind the second and third place teams in the conference, but both the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers have tough games ahead. Houston also needs to build some confidence heading into the postseason, with games against three potential playoff teams coming up: the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens.
Texans playoff berth scenario
The Houston Texans enter this week at 8-5, two games behind the 6-7 Indianapolis Colts with four games remaining. However, the Texans own the head-to-head tiebreaker, so winning three of the remaining three games would be enough for Houston to clinch the division championship.
A Houston win over the Miami Dolphins and a Colts loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 15 would be enough.
- Texans won, Colts lost.
Houston is a 2.5-point favorite at home, but the Colts lost to the Denver Broncos by 3.5 points. About FanDuel Sportsbook.
AFC standings heading into week 15
1.y-kansas city chiefs (12-1)
2.y-buffalo bills (10-3, SOV 59 wins)
3. pittsburgh steelers (10-3, SOV 52 wins)
4. houston texans (8-5)
5. baltimore ravens (8-5, victory over LAC)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (8-5, won against DEN, lost against BAL)*
7. denver broncos (8-5, lost to LAC)*
8. indianapolis colts (6-7, victory over MIA)
9. miami dolphins (6-7, lost to IND)*
10. cincinnati bengals (5-8)*
11. cleveland browns (3-10) — Eliminated
12. jacksonville jaguars (3-10) — Eliminated
13. new york jets (3-10) — Eliminated
14. tennessee titans (3-10) — Eliminated
15. new england patriots (3-10) — Eliminated
16. las vegas raiders (2-11) — Eliminated
Note: In the 5-way tiebreaker between Cleveland, Jacksonville, New York, Tennessee, and New England, the division tiebreaker first drops the tiebreaker (losing to the Jaguars) and the Patriots (Jets in the common game tiebreaker). The Jets then fell behind the Browns and Jaguars by conference record tiebreaker, and the Browns finished ahead of the Jaguars by head-to-head. Next up was the Jaguars and Jets, with Jacksonville winning the head-to-head tiebreaker. Then the Jets and Titans played, and New York defeated Tennessee. Now that the Titans beat the Patriots, the Titans are next.
Teams marked with an asterisk
excluded from division competition
Teams marked with an “x” qualify for the playoffs
The team with “y” won the division
