The Houston Texans are a win away from clinching the AFC South. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers stand in their way as the last obstacle. While the Buccaneers are 7-7 and out of the playoffs thanks to a stout wild-card field in the NFC, quarterback Jameis Winston and the Bucs won’t lie down just because the Texans are coming to Florida.
According to Michael Colangelo of the Touchdown Wire, these elements, along with the fact Houston dropped a head-scratching 38-24 loss to the Denver Broncos at home in Week 14, make the Texans ripe for a letdown on Saturday.
If history repeats itself, the Texans will have a letdown after getting a huge win the previous week against a team that could make the playoffs. The Texans blew out the Patriots then lost to the Broncos. Last week they took control of the AFC South with a win over the Titans and on Saturday they face the Bucs. The Bucs are a scary team right now. They can put up points. The Texans should still win. The possibility of the letdown game rearing its ugly head is a pretty funny thought.
NFL on CBS play-by-play Jim Nantz pointed out the real pattern. After each loss of the season, the Texans have followed it up with two victories. The Buccaneers are the second game after the Texans took it on the chin to rookie quarterback Drew Lock and the Broncos.
If there is a letdown to happen, it will be in Week 17 versus the Tennessee Titans, which will be an inconsequential game if the Texans win, according to Nantz’s theory.
If Houston does have a letdown to the Buccaneers, and the Titans manage to beat the New Orleans Saints, who are still gunning for a first-round bye, then Week 17 at NRG Stadium will be a significant rematch indeed that will decide the AFC South title.