"Right now, as it sits, we still have an opportunity to win our division, and that's always the goal each and every year, to win your division," said Ryans via Zoom on Monday.
This past Saturday, the Houston Texans punched their ticket to the NFL postseason with a gritty 20-16 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, securing their eighth consecutive win, the longest streak in the league.
During that game, they had key starters go down, including linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter. They all returned to the game, as their presence was definitely needed with so much on the line, but they were not at 100 percent.
Many would imagine that the Week 18 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, who have been eliminated from playoff contention, would give them some much-needed rest before the playoffs begin the following week.
Photo Credit - Thomas Shea - Imagn ImagesYet, the Texans are in a very peculiar situation in their last game of the regular season and it is not because they are playing some of their best football of the season or they are trying to keep the winning streak alive.
Houston (11-5) remains in contention to win the AFC South with a victory over the Colts and a loss by the Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) to the Tennessee Titans (3-13).
If that sounds familiar, it is because it was the same scenario with the division on the line the Texans faced in 2023, with the same matchups. Houston defeated the Colts and needed a win by the Titans the next day to secure the AFC South, and they got their wish when Tennessee defeated Jacksonville 28-20.
With that memory still running in the back of Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans's mind, as it was in his first season when Houston made the playoffs and won the division, he does not plan to change the lineups against the Colts.
"Right now, as it sits, we still have an opportunity to win our division, and that's always the goal each and every year, to win your division," said Ryans via Zoom on Monday. "So, we know we need help from the Titans to be able to do that. So, we're going, and we're playing our guys."
Houston also needs the win to secure its current fifth-seed spot, which would put them on the road against the winner of the AFC North, who will be decided on Saturday when the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers face off in a "Win or go home" game.
Photo Credit - Gary A. VasquezA loss could drop them to the sixth seed with a Buffalo Bills or Los Angeles Chargers loss, and to the seventh seed if they lose and both teams win. Yet if Houston wins and the Jaguars lose, they could jump as high as the third seed and host a playoff game at NRG Stadium.
The No. 3 seed is an ideal scenario for Ryans, as he would like to keep his team indoors and avoid the frigid outdoor elements in either Pittsburgh or Baltimore. He would also enjoy having his team at home, where they are comfortable, and give the Houston fans a bonus game, as they have done over the last two seasons.
"Well, anytime you're playing any sport, you want home-field advantage," Ryans responded when asked about playing at home in the first round of the playoffs. "You want to be in front of your home fans. You want to have that crowd noise. It's better to play at home.
"That's why they call it home-field advantage. So, not saying that you can't get it done on the road, but it's always, for me, I would love for our fans to be able to experience another home playoff game."