WIN OR GO HOME

Houston Texans embrace high-stakes game with a playoff spot on the line

Texans CJ Stroud, Will Anderson
The Texans still have a shot at winning the division. Composite Getty Image.
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Houston coach DeMeco Ryans always anticipated his team's late-season trip to Indianapolis would look far different from their September matchup.

He never envisioned the storyline could change this much.

Sixteen weeks after the two new coaches — Ryans and Shane Steichen — were peppered with questions about their quarterbacks of the future, they're playing a high-stakes, prime-time game with more immediate consequences: Win or go home.

"We’re a completely different team now,” Ryans said. “You put the tape on and it’s like, 'Wow.’ I’m encouraged by how much better we’ve gotten. You kind of know who we are now. I think early in the year every team in the league is trying to figure out who you are, figure out your identity. How are you going to play?

"I think now, we know who we are.”

The Colts do, too.

With 9-7 records, Houston and Indy surprisingly find themselves in a three-way tie atop the AFC South with one of those teams a win away from ending their playoff droughts. Houston last made the postseason in 2019, Indy in 2020.

And if Jacksonville loses Sunday to Tennessee, Saturday night's winner also would take the division title and play another home game on wild-card weekend.

It's not just that Houston and Indy are playing a meaningful regular-season less than eight months after selecting new quarterbacks with top-five draft picks, it's how they got here.

Houston made it thanks to a historic first season from C.J. Stroud and a better-than-expected defense. He has thrown 21 touchdown passes, just five interceptions and is 156 yards from topping the 4,000-yard mark despite missing two games with a concussion.

Indy has relied on veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew since rookie Anthony Richardson went down with a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5. Minshew responded by winning six of his eight starts to pull the Colts out of the division cellar.

“You kind of build, you gel, the chemistry – like I said, it always starts in the middle of the season,” Steichen said. “Obviously, you want that stuff to keep rising up. I think that’s what our guys have done to put ourselves in the position we are in right now.”

The result: Two teams that were not projected to do much this season will square off in one of the most watched games on the NFL's final regular-season weekend.

“I told my teammates earlier, it’s the same game we’ve been playing since we were young, so nothing changes,” Stroud said. “We’ve got to just prepare hard and do everything we need to do to try to win this game and I think that will take us home.”

MOTOR RUNNING

Stroud has been Houston's big star, but running back Devin Singletary also has proven to be a key cog in the Texans' offense.

Singletary, nicknamed “Motor,” replaced the injured Dameon Pierce in early November and played so well he kept the starting job even after Pierce returned.

Singletary has three 100-yard games in nine starts this season and had 80 yards in last week's big win against the Titans. He now has 1,026 yards in total offense — his third straight season over 1,000 yards. Singletary's best game came in Week 15 when he posted a career-best 170 total yards in a 19-16 overtime victory at Tennessee — as Stroud sat out with a concussion.

ADMIRING FROM AFAR

Two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner would ride with the Indianapolis Colts' quarterbacks in any game. But Buckner also has been impressed with Stroud's development.

And while the Colts hope to get Stroud out of rhythm and force some mistakes, Buckner has seen enough in eight NFL seasons to recognize the challenge.

“He’s not afraid to make those big throws. He’s always looking downfield to make a big play," Buckner said. "He extends plays really well using his feet. He just knows how to get the guys going, he brings a lot of juice to the game for that team and we’ve got to do a really good job defensively and really just apply pressure.”

FIGHTING THROUGH

Houston rookie defensive end Will Anderson Jr., the No. 3 overall draft pick behind Stroud, returned last week after missing two games with an ankle injury. Though he was back on the field, he was not 100%, played limited snaps and still had two sacks.

“He has that relentless mindset that he’s going to be out there no matter what and he’s going to find a way to help us win games,” Ryans said. “Love Will for his mindset, love him for his toughness, and just his will to win.”

Anderson broke the Texans' franchise rookie record for sacks last week. With seven this season, he has now passed Whitney Mercilus and Brooks Reed, who each had six as rookies.

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AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken in Houston also contributed to this report.

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Cam Smith continues to swing a hot bat! Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.

Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.

One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.

 

Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.

The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.

Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.

Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.

There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!

The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.

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*ChatGPT assisted.

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