Not every week has gone according to plan but in the end, the Houston Texans have secured their second AFC South title in as many years. This time, they did so with three games left to play.
Houston, who had their bye in Week 14, entered Week 15 with a shot at locking up the South. They first needed to defeat the Miami Dolphins at home, then hope for the Denver Broncos to knock off the Indianapolis Colts.
The Texans handled their business, winning 20-12. It was a close contest but a late interception from Derek Stingley, Jr. secured the victory. They then were able to watch the Broncos had Indianapolis a 31-13 defeat. That means the best they can do is go 9-8, and with Houston sweeping the division series, there's no way for them to dethrone the defending champs.
BACK-TO-BACK DIVISION CHAMPS‼️ pic.twitter.com/5aS12CoyQk
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 16, 2024
Houston still has a chance to move up the ranks with a record of 9-5. The Pittsburgh Steelers are just one game ahead of them as the No. 3 seed following a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Even the Buffalo Bills don't have their spot secured as the No. 2 seed is 11-3 but lost to the Texans earlier this season.
The Kansas City Chiefs, however, seem to have the No. 1 spot locked up at 13-1. They play Houston next week but would need to fall apart to lose their lead.
When all is said and done, only the No. 1 seed gets a bye in the playoffs. The top four seeds go to the division winners, who are all guaranteed one home game.