No math necessary: if the Houston Texans beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they win the AFC South.
As simple as the gains are for Saturday afternoon’s showdown with the 7-7 Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium, coach Bill O’Brien is not thinking about winning the division.
“I think as a football coach and as a football player, I really think that you have to focus on the day, really,” O’Brien told reporters Monday. “As a coach today, you’ve got to review the film, you’ve got to move on to Tampa Bay and start preparing for Tampa Bay on a very short week.”
The Buccaneers blasted the Detroit Lions 38-17 at Ford Field with quarterback Jameis Winston throwing for four touchdowns and also posting 450-plus passing yards for the second consecutive game.
“Tampa Bay is a very explosive team,” O’Brien said. “They’re very, very good. Jameis Winston has thrown for 450 yards I think in two straight games. Defensively you’re talking about a stout front, you’re talking about great coaches in Bruce Arians, Todd Bowles and Byron Leftwich. You just better focus on a good Monday and not worry about anything other than Monday — the division, nothing.”
The Texans are facing the Buccaneers on a short week. However, it is not uncommon compared to the Week 2 preparation when they hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium after opening the season on Monday Night Football at the New Orleans Saints.
Said O’Brien: “Just worry about Monday and then Tuesday, and if you’re a player you should be taking care of your body, reviewing the film and then Tuesday come in ready to go with having some thoughts on Tampa Bay.”
Nonetheless, the prospect of getting a win has to be enticing to the Texans as it would be their seventh since the club’s 2002 inception, second-most to the the Indianapolis Colts’ eight for the most in the history of the AFC South.