Tag: AFC Wild-Card

WATCH: Texans WR Tank Dell back with team for playoff run

Tank Dell is in the house for Saturday’s wild-card round showdown with the Houston Texans.

Tank Dell is back with the Houston Texans.

Well, he’s not suiting up, but he’ll be on the sidelines as the AFC South champions look to extend their season another week with a win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Dell, who suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 16’s road loss against the Kansas City Chiefs, returned to NRG Stadium for the first time since being carted off at Arrowhead Stadium.

He wasn’t alone. Fellow receiver Stefon Diggs, who tore his ACL in Week 8, was seen walking outside the tunnel with Dell during the pregame. The second-year receiver was on a pair of crutches while putting little weight on his leg.

As he took the field, Dell was embraced by quarterback C.J. Stroud for a heartfelt moment. The speed threat is expected to miss most of the 2025 season due to multiple surgeries.

Still,any sign of progress is a positive one. The Texans made sure to make Dell feel welcome, wearing custom shirts honoring their favorite teammate.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Texans embracing underdog mentality after Rex Ryan’s comments

Despite the outside noise, the Houston Texans are only listening to the internal voice headed into the playoffs.

Ryan Ryan thinks the Houston Texans are “basically a bye” for the Los Angeles Chargers on wild-card round weekend.

The Texans would politely disagree. And yes, polite is the right form of context as running back Joe Mixon took a moment to put together the proper words when asked for a comment.

“I’m just here to let my helmets and shoulder pads do the talking,” Mixon said. “I’m not going to comment on that.”

The Texans (10-7) enter Saturday’s contest as a 5-5-point underdog despite playing host to the No. 5 seed Chargers. Los Angeles (11-6) is riding high into the postseason off a three-game win streak, including back-to-back victories by 10-plus points.
It’s why Ryan is confident the Bolts will break the spirit of the Texans first before they ever break a sweat.
“I never realized the Chargers got a bye — that they qualified for a bye,” Ryan said Monday on ESPN’s  “Get Up” morning show. “But they did because they’re playing Houston.”
The former head coach isn’t alone in predicting a blowout could be on the horizon. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport joked during a segment on “The Insiders” about Houston’s chances of securing a second playoff win in as many years.
“The talent for sure is there,” Rapoport said. “It’s a perfect opportunity for the Texans to come out and get a win that absolutely no one expects them to get.”
The Texans haven’t met their internal goals. They’ll be the first to speak of the issues that plagued a chance of a higher seed.
One area that hasn’t died? Internal belief. Players are bought in throughout out a cold week of practice to muster up a game plan worthy of quieting the critics.
“The time is now to strike,” Mixon said. “I just keep trying to have my guys’ eyes on the prize. You’ve got to put everything into perspective. I just keep telling them you win this game (and) the next game, that’s the AFC championship. I’ve been there before. I know what it takes.
Outside hasn’t gotten into the building yet. Even if it did, The players have chosen to ignore it.
“Noise is always going to be there,” quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “It’s a part of sports. It’s always evident in this sport. They said the same thing about us last year when we played the Browns (in the playoffs).
“I kind of like being the underdog. I’ve been the underdog a lot of my life and my career, so it’s actually comfortable for me.”

Kickoff from NRG Stadium is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT.

Texans odds: Houston opens as home underdog against Chargers in wild-card round

The Houston Texans might be in the playoffs, but they’re underdogs on the road against the surging Los Angeles Chargers.

The Houston Texans can be the third team to clinch the spot in the divisional round of the playoffs on Saturday afternoon at NRG Stadium.

The only thing in their way? A four-quarter battle in Nashville with the surging Los Angeles Chargers wild-card round. The last time Jim Harbaugh was in Houston, he walked away with a national title at Michigan.

Houston (10-7) enters Saturday’s showdown at Nissan Stadium as a 3-point home underdog against Los Angeles (11-6), according to odds from BetMGM. The over/under is currently set at 43.5, while the money line is at -165.

The Texans are preparing for a date with one of the league’s top defenses. In Year 1 of the Harbaugh regime, Jesse Minter turned a one-thought promising unit back into a legitimate force headlined by Derwin James and Khalil Mack.

Offensively, Justin Herbert has been consistent in helping Los Angeles secure its first 10-win season in three years. He finished with just under 4,000 passing yards and 23 touchdown passes against just three interceptions.

The Chargers are fifth in the NFL in turnover differential.

Houston is coming off perhaps its most uplifting in of the regular season with a 23-14 road victory over the Tennessee Titans. Starters rested after the opening drive, leading to a dominant day on the ground by running back Dameon Pierce.

“When you start clicking at the right time, you just want to keep seeing this,” Texans running back Joe Mixon told reporters. “Keep trending upward. And pretty much we came out there and executed the game plan.”

Only one Texans player made PFF’s top 50 free agents for 2025

The Houston Texans have one free agent considered among the best entering the 2025 cycle.

The Houston Texans are focused on winning a playoff game and advancing past the AFC Wild Card Round next month, but some fans have waved the white flag on 2024.

Yes, the Texans will represent the AFC South in the postseason.

Yes, Houston still has a chance to go on an improbable run to the Super Bowl.

The Texans, in reality, are several pieces away from competing with the top three AFC rosters for a Lombardi Trophy. That’s where free agency kicks in.

There’s a blend for Houston to re-sign players and add in new talent. One name that should be on watch is All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who despite suffering a torn ACL in October, is expected to be a hot name on the market for any receiver-needy roster.

Diggs should be the Texans’ top priority to extend in free agency, which is exactly how Pro Football Focus sees it.

PFF released its early list of the top 50 free agents of 2025.  Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowl receiver with Minnesota, Buffalo and Houston, was the only player from the Texans’ roster to make the cut at No. 11 overall.

Playing in an offense where he was no longer the top target hadn’t hindered Diggs’ effectiveness. The star wideout was on pace to extend his streak of seasons with a PFF receiving grade above 75.0 and a drop rate below 10% on the catchable passes thrown his way.

Diggs’ market was compared to Pierre Garcon’s market in 2017. PFF also mentioned that since he’ll be coming off a severe injury, his market to mirror that of Odell Beckham Jr. in 2023.

A season-ending ACL injury for an older player who wins with lateral agility will make for an interesting free-agent dance.

Prior to suffering a season-ending injury, Diggs was on pace for another strong season as Houston’s No. 2 threat. At the time of the injury, he ranked fifth in catches (470) and eighth in receiving yards (496). He was on pace for another 1,000-yard campaign.

Diggs also said during a recent interview with NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” that he’d be interested in discussing a new deal with the Texans. Tank Dell’s season-ending knee injury might have changed the hearts of those inside NRG Stadium.

While not the only receiver on the market, Houston should be already in talks with Diggs on an asking price to run it back in 2025.

One play that made S Mike Adam’s time with the Texans worthwhile

Safety Mike Adams announced his retirement from the NFL. There is one play that made his time with the Houston Texans worthwhile for everyone.

Houston Texans safety Mike Adams announced his retirement from the NFL on March 4. Though the 16-year veteran spent six games with the AFC South club in 2019, Adams’ time with the Texans was consequential.

It wasn’t so much what he did in the regular season, collecting just three tackles. Rather, it was the 38-year-old’s performance in the AFC wild-card versus the Buffalo Bills that fans and the organization will never forget.

On a first-and-10 from the Buffalo 25-yard line, quarterback Josh Allen dumped off a screen pass to running back Devin Singletary that flipped the field for a 38-yard gain. The chunk play could have been worse if not for Adams and his experience of playing 228 regular season games to that point. The two-time Pro Bowler waited for Singletary to come his way and used the sideline as a defender to make the tackle.

“The tackle he made on the screen pass down the sideline, using the sideline properly to — that could have been a touchdown,” coach Bill O’Brien said on Jan. 8.

If it would have been a touchdown, the Bills would have reclaimed the lead after the Texans had just secured it 19-16 on their last drive. Presuming the Bills make the extra point and create a 23-19 lead, quarterback Deshaun Watson and the offense would have had a little over four minutes to drive for a touchdown.

Instead, because of Adams’ tackle, the Bills’ drive stalled with Allen taking a 19-yard sack on fourth-and-27 from Houston’s 42-yard line.

Adams produced four tackles, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble in his 66 snaps in the wild-card game, 55 of which came on defense.

Said O’Brien: “He’s just a really good guy, good pro. He’s been around a long time, studies well, prepares well. He’s been really good in that room.”

“Any time you have a guy on your team or multiple guys on your team that have played like 10-plus years in the league, they’re really guys that you want to point to the younger player and say, ‘Look at this guy. Here’s a guy who’s lasted a long time. This is a good guy to ask about how he lasted that long relative to doing what’s best for the team, taking care of his body, just having a good team attitude his whole career,'” said O’Brien.

Now, the Texans will have to look for another safety to fill the position that Adams vacates.

Texans QB Deshaun Watson gave RB Carlos Hyde confidence after his fumble against the Bills

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson gave running back Carlos Hyde encouragement after his fumble against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC wild-card.

The Houston Texans had the Buffalo Bills right where they wanted them.

With first-and-goal from the 1-yard line with 5:10 to go in the game, the Texans were a touchdown away from taking the lead against the Bills, who held a 16-0 halftime lead.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson took the snap and pitched the ball to the left for running back Carlos Hyde to dash into the end zone uncontested. However, Hyde couldn’t get a handle on the ball and saw it fumble out of bounds for a 4-yard loss.

In the aftermath, the 24-year-old gave encouraging words to the 29-year-old who had a goof-up in his first career playoff game.

“He just lost a little bit of focus on the ball and dropped it and I knew he was frustrated because it was his moment to score and in a big-time game to change the atmosphere and change the momentum,” Watson told reporters Wednesday. “So, I knew he was down and he was frustrated and we talked about protecting the ball and catching the ball, looking things in all week, and I knew exactly what the next play call was because me, [coach] OB (Bill O’Brien) and [offensive coordinator] Tim Kelly talked about the first couple of plays once we get inside the five, what it’s going to be.”

The next play was a roll-out from Watson with Hyde all alone in the right flat. If Hyde could haul in the simple reception, the Texans would have a 17-16 lead over the Bills with less than five minutes in regulation.

“So, before I even got the play call out, I told him ‘Yo, it’s over with, I’m coming to you right now. So, refocus and get ready to score,'” said Watson. “Then I called the play and right before I even faked it, I called his name, ‘Los’ and I just tossed it to him and he got in and did what he had to do.”

The Texans would go on to beat the Bills 22-19 in overtime. Now, the Texans will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC divisional Sunday at 2:05 p.m. CT. Houston may not have gotten this far if not for Watson giving a little encouragement to Hyde and helping him get over what could have been a big blunder.

Texans QB Deshaun Watson is the best thing in Texas

Texas Monthly published what is the best thing in Texas. At least for the week, it is Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.

What can leading your team from a 16-0 halftime deficit to a playoff win in the AFC wild-card do for you? Land you as the “Best Thing in Texas” according to Texas Monthly.

Writer Dan Solomon wrote about quarterback Deshaun Watson and his efforts in helping the Houston Texans prevail 22-19 over the the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 4. Understandably, the 34-yard pass to running back Taiwan Jones was emblematic for Solomon on how extraordinary the two-time Pro Bowler is.

In overtime, the Texans needed someone to step up. As the Buffalo pass rush came after Watson, he converted a third-and-18 play from his own 19 yard line on a possession that, had he failed, would have put enormous pressure on his defense to prevent a game-winning field goal. Then, moments later, on a seven-man blitz from the Bills, Watson escaped what appeared to be a sure sack, then another, to find an open receiver in Taiwan Jones. He used the fact that so much of the defense was trying to take Watson’s head off to charge forward for nearly 30 yards. The Texans were then in a position to win the game, and they did.

Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 28-yard field goal helped the Texans win their fourth playoff game in franchise history. It was also a much needed exorcism of sorts for Houston sports fans as there were comparisons all week between the Tennessee Titans, who were once in Houston from 1960-96 and who owns the franchise record and team history for blowing a 35-3 lead to the Bills in the 1992 AFC wild-card. If the late Bob McNair’s founding of a brand new franchise in 2002 didn’t let Houston sports fans know it was a new era, then the comeback heroics of Watson certainly did.

The Texans face the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC divisional Sunday at 2:05 p.m. CT at Arrowhead Stadium. A win would give the Texans their first AFC Championship Game appearance in club history.

[vertical-gallery id=45003]

Texans S Justin Reid calls Deshaun Watson ‘Houdini’ for daring escape against the Bills

Safety Justin Reid was impressed with the “Houdini” act from Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson to get away from Buffalo Bills defenders.

It is a second-and-6 no one will forget.

With 4:16 to go in overtime between the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills Saturday in the AFC wild-card at NRG Stadium, quarterback Deshaun Watson was about to take a hit on an all-out blitz from DB Siran Neal and LB Matt Milano.

Texans safety Justin Reid was watching the video board at NRG and saw the situation about to unfold in Watson’s eighth sack of the game.

“I saw the blitz coming from the screen,” Reid told reporters. “At that point, my heart sunk. I saw him come free. I was like, ‘Aw, man.’

“And then he somehow, Houdini again.”

Watson got away from the Bills defenders and found running back Taiwan Jones, who turned the reception into a 34-yard gain to setup Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 28-yard game-winning field goal to send Houston to the divisional round for the fourth time in franchise history.

For Reid, the great escape from Watson was just part of the legend that the two-time Pro Bowler wrote throughout the season with his stellar play and big heart.

Said Reid: “He done lost an eye this year. He done all types of things, spun out of it, threw it to Taiwan. Taiwan, especially last week, Taiwan went off last week, and then he came and made that huge play for us, got it down to the 10-yard line.

“Unbelievable feeling.”

The Texans will now face the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 12 at 2:05 p.m. CT at Arrowhead Stadium. Houston came away from the eventual AFC West champion’s home with a 31-24 win in Week 6, and it was also due to some of Watson’s playmaking ability. The Texans will need him to summon additional Houdini tricks if the Texans are to reach their first conference title game in club history, and the city of Houston’s first AFC Championship Game since 1979.

7 crazy stats from the Texans’ 22-19 OT win over the Bills

The Houston Texans produced some wild statistics en route to their 22-19 overtime win against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC wild-card.

The Houston Texans took care of the Buffalo Bills 22-19 in overtime in the AFC wild-card Saturday at NRG Stadium.

Led by quarterback Deshaun Watson and defensive end J.J. Watt, the Texans overcame a 13-0 halftime deficit to storm back and win the franchise’s fourth ever postseason win.

With the victory, the Texans advance to the divisional round to face the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Here are seven crazy stats from the wild-card game that helped Houston advance.

1. deshaun watson is just as good as brock osweiler, matt schaub

deshaun-watson-connects-carlos-hyde-get-lead-bills
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The two-time Pro Bowler threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to running back Carlos Hyde in the fourth quarter, and it helped Watson tie Osweiler and Schaub for the most postseason passing touchdowns in club history with two apiece.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7

Deshaun Watson says he carried Bills on first touchdown because it was the playoffs

Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson says facing the Buffalo Bills in a playoff game forced him to carry two defenders on his back for a touchdown.

The Houston Texans needed another spark after defensive end J.J. Watt provided the first with his sack of Josh Allen on third down that held the Buffalo Bills to a field goal in the AFC wild-card.

Down 16-0 and 1:41 to go in the third quarter, quarterback Deshaun Watson scrambled on a first-and-10 from the 20-yard line. Ultimately, two Bills defenders could not stop the 6-2, 220-pound quarterback, and were along for the ride as Watson bulled his way to the end zone for Houston’s first touchdown.

“I mean, it’s the playoffs, so you win or you go home,” Watson told reporters after the Texans’ 22-19 win Saturday at NRG Stadium. “We were down and definitely wanted to make a spark, and I just made a play.”

Rookie fullback Cullen Gillaspia laid a block on a Bills defender that opened up the running lane for Watson to take advantage.

“I just knew I had to find something to, I guess, keep going, and I knew I wasn’t going down,” said Watson. “I kind of just pushed forward and got in the end zone.”

After the touchdown, Watson added a scramble to the right pylon for a two-point conversion to cut the Bills’ lead to 16-8 with a little over 16:00 total left in the ballgame.