Texans To Face Colts On Saturday Night For AFC Playoff Berth

The Houston Texans will know if they're in the playoffs on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.

HOUSTON -- While some teams will find out their playoff status on Sunday, the Houston Texans will know theirs by Saturday evening. 

The NFL announced Houston will kick off against Indianapolis at 7:15 p.m. on ESPN as part of a Saturday night two-game header. The Texans will clinch a playoff berth with a victory at Lucas Oil Stadium. 

Prime time showdown for Week 18 🍿 pic.twitter.com/WFvqXaSyqM

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 1, 2024

Houston (9-7) won't know if it clinches the AFC South title for the first time since 2019 until Sunday following Jacksonville's matchup against Tennessee. The Texans split the series with the Jaguars during the regular season but swept the Titans for the first time since 2015. 

Houston Texans :: © Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

With a victory at Nissan Stadium, the Jaguars would clinch the division while the Texans would nab a wild card spot over Pittsburgh thanks to their head-to-head win in Week 4. With a loss to the Colts, the Texans would be eliminated from the playoffs. 

The Colts (9-7), who defeated Las Vegas 23-20, bested Houston in Week 2 at NRG Stadium. Rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson scored two touchdowns in the first quarter before leaving with a concussion and handing the offense over to Gardner Minshew. 

Texans star C.J. Stroud came to life in the second half, throwing for 384 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked six times and hit nine other times, though he was playing behind an offensive line filled with backups. 

Stroud, the betting favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, returned to the field for the first time Sunday since clearing concussion to lead the Texans to a 26-3 victory over the Titans in the home finale. He completed 24 of 32 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown. 

“The time is now,” Stroud said postgame of Houston's potential playoff berth. “It’s not next year. It’s not the year after that. It’s right now. We have the opportunity to control our own destiny so I’m excited to do that.”

Should the Texans clinch the AFC South, they would garner the fourth seed and take on the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card Round. Houston lost on Christmas Eve 36-22 behind a three-touchdown day from Joe Flacco. Case Keenum and Davis Mills combined for two touchdowns and two interceptions in place of the injured Stroud. 

Browns star Amari Cooper set a franchise record for most receiving yards in a single game with 265. Cleveland totaled two takeaways and held Houston to 250 total yards of offense. 

Should Jacksonville win the division, the Texans would grab either the No. 6 or No. 7 seed, depending on the outcome of the Buffalo-Miami game. The Bills would clinch the division with a win, while the Dolphins would automatically grab the sixth seed. 

Texans Playoff Scenarios: A Division Title Or Bust?

Houston would play either the second or third seed on the road. Currently, Miami holds the second seed despite losing to Baltimore on Sunday. With a win, the Bills would grab the No. 2 seed thanks to their head-to-head win over Kansas City. 

The Chiefs are locked into the third seed following their AFC West-clinching win over the Cincinnati Bengals.