The Houston Texans are rolling-and they’re doing it with confidence, swagger, and a growing sense of belief that this team is built to make noise in January. After dismantling Arizona 40-20 on Sunday, the Texans extended their win streak to six and improved to 9-5 on the season. That puts them firmly in the AFC playoff mix as the current No. 7 seed, with three games left to determine whether they’ll sneak in as a wild card or take the AFC South crown outright.
But while the scoreboard looked great, the injury report told a different story-particularly on the defensive front.
Veteran defensive tackle Mario Edwards suffered a torn pectoral in the Week 15 win, ending his season. It’s a tough loss for a Texans D-line that’s already been hit hard by injuries.
With Folorunso Fatukasi and Tim Settle Jr. both on injured reserve, Houston is suddenly razor-thin on the interior. Edwards wasn’t a starter, but his role in the rotation was important-especially for a unit that relies on depth to keep pressure up the middle and stop the run.
Losing a rotational piece like Edwards might not make headlines, but in the trenches, every snap counts. The Texans will likely elevate someone from the practice squad to fill his spot, but there's no sugarcoating it: depth is becoming a concern as the postseason nears.
On a more optimistic note, two key players-running back Woody Marks and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.-came out of Sunday’s game with injuries, but head coach DeMeco Ryans indicated both should be okay moving forward. The team will monitor their status throughout the week, but the early signs are encouraging.
Now at 9-5, Houston controls its own destiny. The Texans are in the thick of the playoff race, and every game from here on out carries serious implications.
Whether they end up as division champs or grab a wild card spot, they’ve already proven they belong in the conversation. But with a banged-up defensive line and a few nagging injuries elsewhere, the final stretch will test this team’s depth and resilience.
One thing’s clear: the Texans are surging at the right time. And if they can stay healthy enough to hold the line-literally-they’ve got a real shot to keep this run going deep into January.