DIVISION CHAMPS
Texans seize AFC South title with Jags' loss to Titans
Jan 8, 2024, 10:46 am
The Texans host the Browns this Saturday at NRG. Composite Getty Image.
The NFL's Coach of the Year
The Houston Texans went from worst to first in just one season.
The Texans, who finished last in the AFC South last season, clinched the division title Sunday when Tennessee beat Jacksonville 28-20 to eliminate the Jaguars from playoff contention.
Houston (10-7) secured its first playoff trip since 2019 with a 23-19 victory at Indianapolis on Saturday night before becoming the division champion on Sunday. It’s the first time the Texans have won the division since 2019 and their seventh AFC South title.
The Texans are the fourth seed in the AFC and will host fifth-seeded Cleveland on Saturday.
The team’s social media accounts posted a picture of first-year coach DeMeco Ryans and several players with the caption: "This is just the beginning. Your AFC South Champions."
Ryans and star rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud orchestrated a remarkable turnaround to put the Texans back in the postseason. The Texans went 3-13-1 last season. Houston won just four games each in 2020 and 2021.
Stroud reposted the team’s post on Instagram and added the caption: "Letsss goooooo!!!!" and rookie defensive end Will Anderson Jr., taken third overall in the draft, also reposted it with the words "We didn’t come this far to come this far!!"
Stroud, the No. 2 pick in the draft, threw for 264 yards Saturday night to give him 4,108 yards passing this season. It’s the third-most yards passing by a rookie in NFL history, trailing only Andrew Luck (4,374 in 2012) and Justin Herbert (4,336 in 2020).
His strong performance was the biggest reason for the turnaround in Houston. Until drafting Stroud, the Texans had failed to find an answer at quarterback since Deshaun Watson refused to play after requesting a trade. Watson was dealt to Cleveland before last season.
Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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