Houston has four potential seeds pending Sunday's result
Ranking the Texans playoff scenarios
Dec 28, 2018, 8:27 am
Zach Tarrant/Houstontexans.com
The Houston Texans enter Sunday's game with the Jacksonville Jaguars with a chance to improve on what is already Bill O'Brien's best season as the head man of the Texans. They have double-digit regular season wins for the first time under O'Brien and a chance at a home playoff game is still very much alive. Unfortunately for the Texans, so is going on the road as a wildcard team.
Here are the Texans playoff scenarios ranked from least likely to most likely
Top seed in the AFC by virtue of Texans win + Chiefs loss + Chargers loss + Patriots loss/tie
This actually has a decent chance to happen, but is pretty unlikely. The Texans can absolutely, and should, beat the Jaguars on Sunday but to end up as the top team in their conference they will need lots of help. Kansas City hosts the Raiders on Sunday and while Jon Gruden's crew has played a bit better lately, they don't seem to be a match for a Chiefs team that could wrap up the top seed in the conference. The other must for this scenario is New England losing to the Jets at home. New York's Sam Darnold has played great the past few weeks but that hasn't resulted in wins, just good stat lines and hope. A week to rest and then hosting a game would do wonders for the Texans in a potential Super Bowl push. It would seem most likely they would host the Chiefs or Chargers in the divisional round who would have a decent chance to beat the Ravens despite playing them in Baltimore.
Second seed in the AFC by virtue of Texans win + Patriots loss/tie
This is where the losses to the Titans, Giants, and Eagles really hurt. If any of those games had gone the other way the Texans are in the driver's seat for the first playoff bye in franchise history. As mentioned above the Texans need the Jets to beat the Patriots or tie them. That's a tall task for a bad Jets team despite Darnold's stellar play as of late. It would seem most likely they would host the Patriots after the bye who would beat up on the Titans/Colts winner.
Sixth seed in the AFC by virtue of Texans loss + Titans/Colts win
This is the nightmare scenario for the Texans. If they lose then have to wait close to eight hours to find out where they are headed the following week would absolutely stink. They would have a decent chance to beat both Tennessee and Indianapolis on the road but it would be one of the bigger disappointments in franchise history. This isn't as unlikely as the above two but it seems unlikely the Texans drop a game at home to the Jaguars when they have so much to play for in the final week of the regular season. Also, if the Texans lose it is likely a physical affair with Jacksonville and they're already relly banged up. They would then likely play the early game on Saturday as well. Absolutely terrifying to think Houston loses and is the sixth seed.
Third seed in the AFC by virtue of Texans win + Patriots win or Texans tie + Patriots tie
Hosting during wild card weekend is absolutely the most likely scenario for the Texans. This would be hosting the Colts or Titans and then likely heading to New England to face the Patriots. It is a fun road in this scenario to hosting the AFC championship should the Texans win two games and see the Chargers as the five seed win two games. I am a bit ahead of myself as Houston has to beat Jacksonville but they should do it with the three seed hanging in the air. It is Blake Bortles standing between the Texans and their fifth home playoff game in franchise history. They would host the winner of the Titans and Colts game, likely Indinapolis.
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Houston silences Toronto behind stellar outing from Hunter Brown
Apr 21, 2025, 10:35 pm
A month into the 2025 season, the Houston Astros have emerged as one of MLB’s most confounding teams. Their offense ranks near the bottom of nearly every key category, yet they remain competitive thanks to a pitching staff that has quietly become one of the most formidable in baseball.
Despite winning back-to-back games just once this season, Houston’s pitching has kept them afloat. The Astros boast a top-10 team ERA, rank seventh in WHIP, and sit top-eight in opponent batting average—a testament to both their rotation depth and bullpen resilience. It’s a group that has consistently given them a chance to win, even when the bats have failed to show up.
Josh Hader has been the bullpen anchor. After a rocky 2024 campaign, the closer has reinvented himself, leaning more heavily on his slider and becoming less predictable. The result has been electric: a veteran who’s adapting and thriving under pressure.
Reinforcements are also on the horizon. Kaleb Ort and Forrest Whitley are expected to bolster a bullpen that’s been great but occasionally spotty—Taylor Scott’s 5.63 ERA stands out as a weak link. Lance McCullers Jr. missed his last rehab outing due to illness but is expected back soon, possibly pairing with Ryan Gusto in a piggyback setup that could stretch games and preserve bullpen arms.
And the timing couldn’t be better, because the Astros' offense remains stuck in neutral. With an offense ranked 26th in OPS, 27th in slugging, dead last in doubles, and just 24th in runs scored, it's clear the Astros have a major issue producing consistent offense. For all their talent, they are a minus-two in run differential and have looked out of sync at the plate.
One bright spot has been rookie Cam Smith. The right fielder has displayed remarkable poise, plate discipline, and a polished approach rarely seen in rookies. It’s fair to ask why Smith, with only five Double-A games under his belt before this season, is showing more patience than veterans like Jose Altuve. Altuve, among others, has been chasing too many pitches outside the zone and hardly walking—a troubling trend across the lineup.
Before the season began, the Astros made it a point to improve their pitch selection and plate discipline. So far, that stated goal hasn’t materialized. Many of the players who are showing solid discipline—like Isaac Paredes or Christian Walker—were already doing that on other teams before joining Houston. It raises the question: are the Astros’ hitting coaches being held accountable?
The offensive woes are hard to ignore. Catcher Yainer Diaz currently owns the second-worst OPS in baseball, while Walker ranks 15th from the bottom. Even a star like Yordan Alvarez has yet to find his groove. The hope is that Diaz and Walker will follow Alvarez's lead and trend upward with time.
With so many offensive questions and few clear answers, a trade for a left-handed bat—whether in the outfield or second base—would be ideal. But with the front office laser-focused on staying below the tax threshold, don’t count on it.
For now, Houston's path forward depends on whether the bats can catch up to the arms. Until they do, the Astros will remain a team that looks good on paper but still can’t string wins together in reality.
We have 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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