At 8-5, the Houston Texans remain to be a playoff team. But, there is no comfort in that record. The rival Tennessee Titans sit at the 8-5, tied for the top of the AFC South — however, if the playoffs started today, Houston would be in it based on tiebreakers.
The Texans have the opportunity to turn that tie into a lead on Sunday. They will travel to Nashville to face the surging Titans for their Week 14 matchup.
Though not a playoff matchup officially, the atmosphere at Nissan Stadium should resemble one.
“It’s a must-win situation,” as Texans cornerback Bradley Roby put it on Monday.
Roby, a Super Bowl champion, is a fan of a must-win game. If the Texans are serious about winning, it will show in their three-game stretch — which includes two spars with the Titans with a Saturday bout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sandwiched in.
“I like situations like that,” said Roby. “You see what you’re really made of. You see what the heart is of the team. You get into the playoffs, it’s the same situation. It’s win or go home. Might as we get used to it now.”
In recent weeks, the Texans had defeated their demons of the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots, then lost in blowout fashion to the Denver Broncos. Consistency — or a lack thereof — is a concern for Houston.
The Texans have owned up to a trend of losing one game then winning back-to-back ones. The problem: they are 8-5, having not won more than two consecutive game all season.
At that rate, their season will end in the AFC Championship.
December football is where the Texans see what they are made of. They passed the first and failed the second. If winning is their forté, it will show when they need it most.
