NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: Bears celebrating, Patriots fading
Houston Texans. 6. team. 10. . 10-4. Previous:
Recap: Bill O’Brien’s squad saw its nine-game winning streak snapped at home last week by the Indianapolis Colts. Now the AFC South leaders headed north to MetLife Stadium to take on the Jets in a Saturday afternoon affair. The Texans owned a 16-9 edge at halftime but were outgained in the first 30 minutes of play. The Jets took a 22-19 lead with five minutes to play before quarterback Deshaun Watson (sacked 6 timess in the game) connected with DeAndre Hopkins for a 14-yard score with 2:15 on the clock. The talented pass-catcher totaled 10 grabs for 170 yards and scored two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Ka’imi Fairbairn hit on all five of his field goal attempts.
Next Week: O’Brien’s squad heads north to the land of cheese steaks for the first time since 2010 as the Texans and Philadelphia Eagles clash for only the fifth time. And this franchise will be looking for its first ever win in this short-lived series that dates back to ’02 as Philadelphia owns 4-0 edge in the lifetime standings
Playoff hopes: The Texans could have wrapped up a playoff berth with a loss by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Alas, it was not meant to be. But a win next Sunday at Philadelphia gives the team the AFC South title for the third time in four years. And the team is certainly in the mix for one of the top two playoff seeds in the conference.
Next: No. 5