With the Texans on a bye, the scoreboard-watching gets just as important as anything happening in Houston. The Texans are still digging out of that self-inflicted 0-4 start, and while they can’t change their own schedule this weekend, they can absolutely get help from around the AFC.
The goal is simple: stay in the mix while other teams stumble back toward the pack. If Houston keeps winning enough from here, the path most likely opens through the back door - a sixth or seventh seed grabbed late from a team that falls apart down the stretch. That makes this weekend’s slate worth tracking closely.
Here are the AFC games Texans fans should have circled, plus one bonus matchup for good measure.
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) vs. Indianapolis Colts (2-5)
The Texans would love an Indianapolis upset here. Jacksonville has a real chance to pull away in the AFC South, while the Colts have already looked like a team that’s given up on the season. A Colts win would be a major favor for Houston, and it would also raise more questions about how legitimate Jacksonville really is after a third loss to a rebuilding team.
Cleveland Browns (5-2) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)
This one is basically a coin flip, but the edge goes to Pittsburgh for Houston’s purposes. The reason is schedule-related: after Week 8, the Steelers have a tougher road ahead than the Browns do.
That means a Steelers win here could still be followed by plenty of losses later. If Cleveland wins, their next obvious trouble spot doesn’t really show up until Week 12 against the Bengals.
Baltimore Ravens (4-3) vs. Buffalo Bills (5-1)
Houston needs the Ravens to lose and land right at .500 through eight games. The Texans are not being discussed here as a serious one-seed candidate; the more realistic route is squeezing into the playoffs as a sixth or seventh seed. For that to stay alive, the AFC needs as many teams hovering around the middle as possible, and a Ravens loss would help with that.
Las Vegas Raiders (3-4) vs. New York Jets (2-5)
It’s a strange sentence, but Texans fans should be pulling for the Jets. The Raiders opened the year 3-0, then followed that with an 0-4 slide.
New York, meanwhile, just had that sideline blow-up last week between quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver Garrett Wilson. If the Jets can turn that into a win, both teams would sit at 3-5, which is exactly the kind of mess Houston wants in front of it.
Tennessee Titans (1-6) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)
This is another one where Houston benefits from the underdog. A Titans win would knock Cincinnati down to 4-3 and keep the Bengals hanging near .500 for another week.
There’s a bonus angle too: it would also ding Tennessee’s draft pick value. That makes it a double win for the Texans.
New England Patriots (4-3) vs. Miami Dolphins (1-5)
Miami is the ideal choice here. The Patriots are now without wide receiver A.J.
Brown and running back TreyVeyon Henderson because of injuries, and they look vulnerable. The Dolphins just got their first win of the season against the Jets, so maybe that gives them enough momentum to steal another one and leave New England sitting exactly at .500.
Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) vs. Denver Broncos (5-2)
This one is the bonus game, and even here the Texans would prefer Denver. The thinking changed after first leaning Kansas City, but the end result is the same: a Broncos win would make sure both teams have at least two losses after Week 8. It’s not a huge swing for Houston, but it does keep two of the AFC’s top teams from getting too comfortable.
In Other News...
Will Anderson Jr. Sounds Fed Up With Texans Defensive Slide
Will Anderson Jr. has become the face of the Texans defense in more ways than one, and not just because of his production off the edge. The third-year pass rusher has been one of the leagues most disruptive players, leading the NFL with 7.5 sacks through seven games, but his individual success has come against the backdrop of a defense that has not been nearly as steady as it expected to be.
Andersons frustration has been hard to miss, and it speaks to a larger issue in Houston: the work is being put in, but the results are not following often enough. As a captain, he has stressed that the unit prepares intensely and has plenty of talent, yet the Texans are still trying to turn that into consistent execution on Sundays, which is the part that keeps this slide from feeling like a short-term blip. [Read more 🡒]
Texans May Be Sitting On A Trade Asset They Cant Keep Hidden
The Texans may have a little more depth at center than they can realistically keep tucked away much longer. Jake Andrews, a backup with starting experience, has become the kind of lineman other teams start circling when injuries hit across the league, and Houstons own situation helps explain why his name is coming up at all. Evan Brown is handling the starting job, while rookie Keylan Rutledge has also taken snaps at center, giving the Texans options even as they evaluate what they can afford to hold onto.
With the NFL trade deadline approaching, center-needy teams are looking for answers, and Andrews fits the profile of a player who could draw interest before the market tightens. The Green Bay Packers are among the clubs dealing with injuries at the position, and they are not alone in that regard. For Houston, the question is less about whether Andrews has value and more about whether the Texans can keep a useful piece hidden when so many teams are searching for help in the middle of the line. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Passing Attack Just Lost A Piece It Could Really Miss
The Texans receiver room took a hit this week with Jaylin Noels turf toe injury ending his season, a setback that comes at a time when Houston has been trying to keep its passing game stocked with enough options to survive the grind. Noel had been part of a group that already included Marvin Harrison Jr., Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Kayshon Boutte and Xavier Hutchinson, giving the offense a mix of established production and depth that looked built to withstand injuries.
Nick Caserios decision to acquire Marvin Harrison Jr. earlier this year was aimed at strengthening that group, and Houston has already had to lean on its depth as Tank Dell recently returned to play after nearly two years away from football. Losing Noel narrows the margin a little more, and for a team trying to keep its aerial attack balanced and dangerous, the challenge now is how the rest of the room absorbs another absence without letting the offense lose its edge. [Read more 🡒]