The Houston Texans’ big win over the Tennessee Titans, coupled with the Indianapolis Colts’ win and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ loss, means there’s a three-way tie for the division lead in the AFC South.
All three teams are 8-6 after Week 15, but that doesn’t mean all three are playoff-bound. While the Texans have the same record as their divisional counterparts, they don’t hold any tiebreakers over the Jaguars or the Colts. Houston currently sits just outside the playoff field, too, with the eighth seed. The Jaguars hold head-to-head win percentage tiebreakers over the Colts and the Texans, while the Colts have a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Texans.
This doesn’t mean the Texans can’t make the postseason, but they’ll need some help to win the division or secure a wildcard spot in the playoffs.
Houston’s remaining schedule includes games against the Cleveland Browns (another wildcard contender) and two divisional games against the Titans and the Colts. The Texans would almost assuredly need to beat the Colts to have a shot at the postseason, but would still need help from other teams.
According to the New York Times, the Texans currently have a 55 percent chance to make the postseason and a 20 percent chance to win the division. That probability bumps up to 72 percent with a Week 16 win.
It’s not an easy path, but the Texans have a shot as long as they keep winning games.
