With the Houston Texans on an eight-game winning streak and four potential playoff teams, can they be among the top three teams heading into this weekend’s regular season finale?
No. Instead, it was another week of losing ground at the worst possible time.
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No. Instead, Houston barely cracked the top five due to a poor roster.
The Texans defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 20-16 and now have a record of 11-5, officially returning to the playoffs. They are a half-game out of first place, but have solidified the league’s No. 1 defense in total yards and points, making them the most complete lineup in the AFC South.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to beat the Titans for the division title on Sunday, and they still own the AFC South. If Houston wins, they’re out of the discussion if they lose, but a win could earn home-field advantage if New England and Denver lose.
As for the Texans, while they still rank second in the division, they have once again lost some appeal and are ranked seventh overall in Nate Davis’ latest NFL power rankings for USA TODAY Sports.
“Now, in an eight-game stretch, their league’s best defense — suffocating, opportunistic, rough on opposing quarterbacks — should keep them in nearly every game. But can the often-limited offense, especially in the running game, live up to its promise — especially if a team that has never made it to the AFC Championship Game ends up on the road to the playoffs?” Davis wrote.
Aziz Alshahir returned to the starting lineup after missing last week’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, and Houston intercepted Justin Herbert before halftime. That issue, along with two fumbles by Cameron Dicker, was one of many that cost Los Angeles a chance at the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
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For Indianapolis, their season is in limbo after Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending injury. The Colts have lost six of their last seven games and were eliminated from the playoffs after Houston’s win on Saturday. They appeared in 21st place.
“Nunc Coepi, guys…just not sure who to start with next,” Davis wrote.
In the AFC South, the Jaguars took a step back after a close call with the Colts. Yes, they won, but Trevor Lawrence didn’t throw a touchdown pass and was held to two red zone scores as a runner.
“Why aren’t they No. 1… even though they may end up at No. 1 in the AFC standings? Their seven-game winning streak, most of them decisive, currently ranks second to Houston. The Jaguars are committed to running the ball, taking the ball away and can rush the passer. But, with the exception of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has been playing since Thanksgiving, he also remains an unproven commodity in January football — at the pro level, anyway,” Davis wrote.
As for the Titans, they have been idle since their loss to the New Orleans Saints. For the first time this season, Cam Ward looks promising, but it’s rookie Chimere Decker who wins praise from Davis and Pro Bowl voters.
“Congratulations to Pro Bowl WR Chimere Dike, who had a historic rookie season…even if he wasn’t the rookie the Titans hoped to have a historic season,” Davis wrote.
Elsewhere in the league, the Los Angeles Rams, ranked No. 1, and the Seattle Seahawks, ranked No. 2, are the two leading teams in the race for the Super Bowl. To view the complete NFL Power Rankings heading into Week 16, visit USATODAY.com.
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Sunday’s matchup will air at noon CT on CBS.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wired: NFL Power Rankings: Texans still have nothing to do in ‘close call’ against Chargers
