The Houston Texans officially clinched the AFC South last Sunday with a great team win and an Indianapolis Colts loss. Now that the division battle has wrapped up, the team will fight for playoff seeding going forward.
Currently, the South champions are the four-seed in the AFC playoff picture. However, there is plenty of potential to climb up in those rankings. Houston is one game back of the Pittsburgh Steelers and two behind the Buffalo Bills. The first-round bye week is mathematically impossible at this point in the season.
However, there is plenty to play for, as the Texans could pull into the playoffs as high as the number two seed in the AFC, which starts this Saturday in a potential playoff preview against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Off the bat, one thing is working in Houston's favor: Patrick Mahomes has a high-ankle sprain. Whether or not he plays is still up in the air, but being a full participant in practice is a sign that he will be the starting quarterback on Saturday.
#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (ankle) was a full participant at practice today.
— Noah (@PSM_Sports_) December 17, 2024
However, that could work into a Houston advantage if Mahomes is not fully healthy.
It is Will Anderson time
It is no secret that the offensive side of the ball has plagued the Texans over the last couple of months. However, the pass rush has really come to life in that span.
One of the most impactful pieces of that unit has been Will Anderson Jr., who is second on the team in sacks with 10.5 this season. Following the nail-biting experience that was the matchup against the Buffalo Bills, Anderson has accounted for eight sacks over the last seven games, which includes the Jets game which he was not active for.
In other words, Anderson is on a heater and has been since mid-October. With the tackle spots being the weak point of the Chiefs' offensive line and Mahomes likely being less mobile than usual, look for Anderson to have a very impactful game on Saturday.
Even if Kansas City keeps tight ends in to help with blocking, that could have a high impact on this game. With Mahomes hurt, one could expect Travis Kelce to be involved in this game. If he ends up staying in to block Anderson, that is taking away the weapon with the most chemistry with his hobbled quarterback.