Houston Texans Roundup: We’re talking playoffs

The Houston Texans are the AFC South champions now it is time to look forward to the playoffs.

We all know what we will be doing on Saturday afternoon as the Houston Texans will be hosting the Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round of the AFC Playoffs as this matchup will be the third time these two teams have met this season.

In the first two meetings the Texans and Colts split the games with Houston winning on Sept. 30 by a 37-34 score in overtime. The Colts won the second meeting in Houston by defeating the Texans on Dec. 9 by a 24-21 score.

More from Houston Texans News

• Houston Texans: Can Sean Payton really be the next head coach?
• Houston Texans Draft: Michael Mayer should be a no doubter at pick 12
• Houston Texans already telling fans the Davis Mills era is over
• Houston Texans have hand forced, waste no time in firing Lovie Smith
• Houston Texans: Pros and Cons of keeping Head Coach Lovie Smith

The upcoming game between the two AFC South rivals will be very exciting and could be the best game of the Wild Card round. The Texans have won four of the past seven games against the Colts, but the Colts in that span have won three of the past four games against Houston.

This time around, the Colts are the team with the winning streak, with Indianapolis — who snapped the Texans’ nine-game winning streak earlier this season — winning their past four games and nine of their past 10 games. Their lone loss in that span came against the Jacksonville Jaguars by a 6-0 score on Dec. 2.

Houston and Indianapolis will kickoff at 4:35 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 5 being the first game of the playoffs.

Here is a look at the headlines for Monday

• Michael C. Wright at ESPN.com wrote about Deshaun Watson and how his rushing game helped lead the Texans to the AFC South championship. The article included a quote from Watson:

"“But at the end of the day, if the ball is in my hands, I feel like I’m a playmaker. Every time I have the ball in my hands, which is every play, I feel I’m the best player on the team.”"

This is the mentality all teams want their quarterback to have, but with Watson he’s able to back it up with his ability, and in all honestly he’s working his way to become one of the top quarterbacks in all of the NFL. My opinion is Watson is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the league and one of those reasons is he’s yet to show just how good of a quarterback he can be.

When everything comes together for Watson, including improved offensive line play, everyone in the NFL will know just how great Watson can become at quarterback as he is in the playoffs in just his second NFL season.

• Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle wrote about the Texans in the playoffs and having to face Andrew Luck of the Colts this upcoming Saturday by asking one simple question:

"“Can the Texans stop Andrew Luck?”"

That is a great question and for the Texans all they do know is to advance in the playoffs they must stop Luck on Saturday. Luck in the first game against Houston on Sept. 30 had the following numbers: 40-of-62 for 464 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Later in the second meeting on Dec. 9, Luck was 27-of-41 for 399 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Luck can’t continue to gain 400 yards passing against the Texans and Houston expect to win. The time the Texans beat the Colts earlier in the year it was a tough win in which the Texans took advantage of Colts miscues and in-game decisions.

Houston’s defensive backfield has to play much better against Luck, and the front seven of the Texan must put pressure on Luck this Saturday or it could be a short playoff run for the AFC South champions. Thoughts?

• Tweet of the Day

The resurgence of J.J. Watt this season has been a sight to behold as his 16 sacks were amazing to watch. Watt is a huge reason the Texans are in the playoffs and a reason the are once again the AFC South champions.

Watt is going to need a big day against Indianapolis in the Wild Card round of the playoffs for them to advance. In the first two games against the Colts, Watt has a combined three sacks against Luck and the Colts. Round 3 could be the most intense matchup for Watt this season, which is god news for Houston.