Horns up, here come the Texans...

By: Josh Frey-Sam

The Houston Texans’ win over the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night has set up a hell of a finish for the AFC South crown this season.

The win, sparked by another dominant performance by the defence, pulled the Texans within two wins of the Indianapolis Colts for the division lead with six games remaining on their schedule.

Houston is currently above .500 for the first time this season at 6-5, while the Colts, who are enjoying a bye in Week 12, are still sitting pretty at 8-2.

I think Houston gave us every reason to think that they will make this a close race right until the end, and that there will be two teams from the AFC South to qualify for the playoffs.

The most obvious thing to note is CJ Stroud will be back next week, taking back over from Davis Mills, who could’ve been better over these last four weeks but certainly could’ve been a lot worse.

Sticking with the offence, I loved the game called by offensive co-ordinator Nick Caley on Thursday. He put the offence in favourable situations all night, and frankly, the Texans players just didn’t execute very well, especially in the red zone.

That game should’ve been a runaway win for Houston, and it will only get better once Stroud returns.

The thing that gives you the most confidence in this club, however, is the defence. Entering the game, I liked Houston to keep it close, mainly because of its defence, which channels a different level when it’s at home.

Will Anderson continues to be a game-wrecker, and Danielle Hunter creates the best pass-rush tandem in football. The secondary is playing lights out, too, forcing quarterbacks to hold onto the ball for an extra tick as the lethal pass-rush gets home. It was the story on Thursday night, as Josh Allen was pressured or sacked nearly every time he had to hold onto the ball for more than a couple of seconds — the Bills’ offensive success came when Allen got rid of the ball quickly and receivers did damage after the catch.

Of course, the biggest concern for this team remains the offensive line. It’s something they will just have to deal with, and a big reason why I don’t view them as legitimate contenders to win the AFC.

But we’re talking about the division here, and one of the reasons why I still think the Texans can come out of the South is what lies ahead.

Looking at the schedule, I believe the home stretch favours the Texans slightly. Their only outdoor game comes in Week 14 @ Kansas City. Beyond that, it’s @ Indy, vs. Arizona, vs. Las Vegas, @ Chargers and vs. Indy in Week 18 for what could be a game for the division.

The NFL schedule makers don’t miss.

Meanwhile, the Colts are looking at the following coming out of their bye: @ Kansas City, vs. Houston, @ Jacksonville, @ Seattle, vs. San Francisco, vs. Jacksonville and @ Houston.

The Colts have shown they’re not just a flash in the pan, but they have certainly shown some cracks in the armour in recent weeks.

That Week 13 matchup is going to be critical to the eventual outcome, but I already have Week 18 circled on my calendar.

I’ll tell you what: if the Texans do win the South, I don’t think there’s a team in the AFC that wants to travel to NRG Stadium for wild card weekend.

Houston’s defence is a different beast at home, and that offence is good enough to steal a playoff win.

Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Josh