Week 15 saw plenty of NFL action take place with playoff implications on the line. One of the bigger games happened to be between the Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins, with the latter trying not to have their postseason hopes completely gashed before their eyes.
At one point, in the third quarter, the Texans led by a score of 20-6 over the Dolphins and things looked bleak. Then, Miami was able to put a scoring drive together with plenty of time left in the game, making it 20-12. When the Dolphins saw kicker Jason Sanders miss the extra point, though, it added an extra potential roadblock in any comeback attempt.
The Texans had no problem shutting the door on Miami, though, as cornerback Derek Stingley had one of the best games of his career and helped the defense stand tall. Stingley finished with five tackles (three solo), two tackles for loss, two pass breakups and two key, timely interceptions off Tua Tagovailoa.
Stingley's big day allowed the Texans to keep this one away from Miami and improve to 9-5, bringing them one step closer to winning the AFC South.
Speaking of a potential division crown, where do things stand in the playoff race after the Texans' win? Let's check in on current playoff positioning.
Current AFC Playoff standings after the Texans survive in Week 15 vs. Miami
1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)
2. Buffalo Bills (11-3)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)
4. Houston Texans (9-5)
5. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
6. Denver Broncos (9-5)
7. L.A. Chargers (8-6)
8. Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
9. Miami Dolphins (6-8)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)
*All other teams have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention
Thanks to the Colts losing big time to the Broncos, Houston officially won the division with three weeks to spare.
Not only did the Texans clinch the AFC South, but they got a little bit of help from the Pittsburgh Steelers, who lost to the Philadelphia Eagles and dropped to 10-4. Now, the Texans have a legitimate shot to jump up to the no. 3 seed, should Pittsburgh continue helping them.
Houston will finish the season by traveling to take on the Kansas City Chiefs, hosting the Baltimore Ravens and finally a road matchup with the Tennessee Titans. One thing to keep in mind for Week 16? Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has a high-ankle sprain and his status is to be determined.