Tag: Christmas Football

Texans far from concerned with standings in AFC playoffs

The only win-loss record that matters for the Texans is the one on the upcoming gameday against their future opponent.

The Houston Texans can only control what’s ahead.

That includes a victory in Week 18 over the Tennessee Titans to secure a 10-win season.

That includes responding in the wild-card round when they host a playoff game against the top-ranked wild-card roster.

Looking back at a 31-2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens won’t do anyone good. Neither is looking back on the previous four losses in six games after starting the year off 6-3.

Houston might have a 9-7 record, but it’s a division winner. That’s all that matters entering the regular season finale.

“The records really don’t concern me,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday. “I never go into a game thinking about a team’s record, whether it’s a winning or losing record. Every week it’ll be about how you show up to the game and how you play within those three and a half hours.”

The previous three hours of play will be one Houston hopes to forget. After trailing by 10, the Texans forced a safety on All-Pro running back Derrick Henry. The offense drove once more and landed inside Baltimore’s 5 with a chance to tie the game.

But back-to-back underwhelming play calls led to a turnover on downs at the 1-yard line. Three plays later, Lamar Jackson found Mark Andrews for a 67-yard gain.

Two plays after that, the MVP candidate connected with Isaiah Likely for a 9-yard score and extended the lead to 15.
Ryans, who has Houston in the playoffs, said that regardless of records, it’s about the team that afternoon.

“It just matters are you the best team within that time frame,” Ryans said. “The records really don’t matter and definitely doesn’t matter when you go into the playoffs. Just all about looking internally and playing your best.”

Houston hopes to be the better team next Sunday at Nissan Stadium against the three-win Titans. The plan is for it to carry over into the second week of January.

Texans now know fate for AFC Playoffs following Ravens loss

The Houston Texans know where they’ll sit in the AFC postseason picture heading into Week 18.

The Houston Texans won’t be playing for anything more than a second 10-win season under DeMeco Ryans and a 5-1 record in the AFC South next Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

They’re hosting a playoff game once and nothing else.

Following a 31-2 loss on Christmas Day against the Baltimore Ravens, the Texans (9-7) are locked into the No. 4 seed for the AFC postseason. Even if they finished 10-7, their record wouldn’t surpass either team in the AFC North to catapult up to the No. 3 seed.

It’s not like the Texans didn’t have chances to prove their value as a top-three seed in the conference. They led four times against teams in the middle of the season entering halftime, only to lose over the final 30 minutes.

Now, the Texans will be the lowest seed among division winners regardless of the rematch at Nissan Stadium next week.

Who will stand on the opposing side? Early odds expect it to be the Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore would have the better strength of schedule, so a tie would lean in favor of the reigning AFC North champions.

The Los Angeles Chargers, who could clinch a playoff berth with a win in Week 17, can’t jump either the Steelers or Ravens because of head-to-head losses earlier in the season.

The Denver Broncos, who also need a win to make the postseason, can’t jump Los Angeles since they lost both divisional matchups.

It’s simple: the Texans are pulling for a date with Russell Wilson and a pesky Steelers offense they beat in the preseason over a rematch with Baltimore.

Texans vs. Ravens inactives list: Is WR John Metchie III playing?

Here’s who’s in and out for the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day.

Diontae Johnson out,

John Metchie III in.

The third-year Houston Texans receiver is active for Wednesday’s Christmas showdown as the AFC South champions welcome in the Baltimore Ravens as part of a doubleheader on Netflix.

Metchie, who missed Saturday’s 27-19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a shoulder injury, returned to practice at full speed Monday. He was cleared to return based on Tuesday’s injury report, but the inactive list shows he’s cleared to go.

Metchie will be the focal point in the slot and the No. 2 weapon for C.J. Stroud opposite Nico Collins with Tank Dell sidelined for the remainder of the year. Dell, who was on pace for a better second year, suffered a dislocated knee, torn ACL, MCL and LCL, along with several other minor ailments during the third quarter of Saturday’s loss at Kansas City.

He’s expected to miss the majority of the 2025 season as he’ll require multiple surgeries from now until next season.

Johnson, who was claimed off waivers on Monday, will suit up for Houston in Week 18, but the timing wasn’t enough to get him on the field.

Linebacker Devin White, who was inactive the last two games, is also inactive.

Former Texans returner Steven Sims, who was claimed off waivers earlier this week, is active and should return punts against his former team at a stadium he knows well.

Here’s the remaining inactives for both the Texans and Ravens. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 pm.

Houston Texans (9-6)

Baltimore Ravens (10-5)

Is Zay Flowers playing today vs. Texans? Injury updates for Ravens WR

The Houston Texans could be taking on one of the league’s most slept-on receivers on Wednesday when the Baltimore Ravens arrive for Christmas Day.

Zay Flowers is to Lamar Jackson what Nico Collins is to C.J. Stroud: a giving gift this holiday season.

Despite speculation of his status for Wednesday’s showdown at NRG Stadium, the Baltimore Ravens second-year receiver should be good to go come kickoff against the Houston Texans.

Here’s the latest surrounding Flowers’ status entering Christmas afternoon. 

Zay Flowers injury update

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Ravens’ No. 1 target is expected to play in his team’s Week 17 Christmas Showdown against the Texans.

Flowers was listed as questionable on the final injury report on Tuesday afternoon before the team departed for Houston that evening. 

While the former Boston College star didn’t practice on Sunday and Monday, he returned to practice on Tuesday in a limited capacity, giving reason for optimism that he could be cleared.

The Ravens have already clinched a playoff berth following last week’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, but another victory inches them closer to securing a division title for the second straight season.

Zay Flowers stats

Slowing down Flowers should be Houston’s top priority for Wednesday’s contest. He’s having a surging sophomore season with a team-leading 109 targets, 71 receptions, 1,016 yards and four touchdown catches.

As for the Texans, they’ll be down to one weapon following a season-ending knee injury to Tank Dell. The second-year target caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud in Week 16’s loss against the Kansas City Chiefs but suffered a dislocated knee and multiple torn ligaments.

Dell’s expected to miss a majority —if not all of —the 2025 NFL season as he’ll undergo multiple surgeries from now until the end of next year. 

Newly acquired receiver Diontae Johnson, who was claimed off waivers from the Ravens on Monday, is not expected to play.

The Texans and Ravens will kick off at 3:30 p.m. CT Wednesday on Netflix.

Ravens vs. Texans injury report: Latest updates, news for Tuesday

Here’s the final injury report from Tuesday as the Houston Texans prepare to take on the Baltimore Ravens as part of a Christmas double-header.

It feels weird seeing an early-week injury report on a Tuesday, right?

Well, your eyes are not deceiving you as Week 17 approaches. The Houston Texans have two days to prepare for a battle with the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day as part of a Netflix double-header.

Here are the final injury reports from Tuesday’s walkthrough of the AFC playoff team’s matchup at NRG Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Houston Texans (9-6)

OUT

  • OL Juice Scruggs (foot)
  • OL Shaq Mason (knee)
  • DL Foley Fatukasi (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE

  • DL Denico Autry (knee)

PROABLE

  • DE Will Anderson Jr. (hand)
  • OL Nick Broeker (hand)
  • LB Christian Harris (ankle)
  • WR John Metchie III (shoulder)
  • TE Cade Stover (illness)

Note: Newly acquired wide receiver Diontae Johnson did not appear on the injury report, but that doesn’t mean he will play. 

Baltimore Ravens (10-5)

OUT

  • WR Nelson Agholor (concussion)
  • DB Jaylen Armour-Davis (hamstring)
  • RB Justice Hill (concussion)

QUESTONABLE

  • CB Tre’Davious White (shoulder)
  • WR Zay Flower (shoulder)

PROBABLE

  • DB Beau Brade (shoulder)
  • OL Daniel Faalele (knee)
  • OL Tyler Linderbaum (back)

Texans reveal Christmas uniform combination for Week 17 showdown vs Ravens

The Houston Texans are representing H-Town in Week 17 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Here’s the uniform combination for the Christmas Day showdown between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens at NRG Stadium as part of a two-game Netflix series.

Houston Texans (9-6)

Baltimore Ravens (10-5)