Ranking Five Potential Texans Opponents For Wild Card Weekend

The Houston Texans will be in the playoffs whether they win, lose, or draw in Week 18 against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Texans have won eight straight games and are facing a Colts team that is giving Riley Leonard his first career NFL start at quarterback. The Texans should win in Week 18, which would get them at the very worst, the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff picture. Here's a look at who they could play ranked on who they should want to see to who they shouldn't.

Pittsburgh Steelers

If the Texans beat the Colts, the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans, and the Steelers beat the Ravens, Houston will travel to Pittsburgh for Wild Card Weekend.

The Texans haven't played the Steelers this season, but they should be able to contain a not-so-mobile Aaron Rodgers, which should give the team a lot of hope.

The sealers only scored six points this past week against the Cleveland Browns defense, which is one of the best in the NFL behind the Texans. This should be the easiest matchup the Texans face out of any playoff opponent.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks on after the game against the Cleveland Browns. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Baltimore Ravens

The Texans beat the Ravens back in Week 5 on the road, and there's a chance Houston may need to do it again during Wild Card Weekend. Wins by the Texans, Jaguars, and Ravens trigger the outcome where Baltimore would be the opponent for Houston.

The Ravens are a beatable team for the Texans, as proven earlier in the year, but putting Derrick Henry and potentially Lamar Jackson on the other sideline is never an easy win.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Texans split the season series with the Jaguars, and there's a chance this game could take place in either Houston or Jacksonville. Obviously, the Texans would prefer this game take place in Houston, but the Jags have their greatest offense in franchise history this season.

Other than the Texans, the Jaguars have the best winning streak going into Week 18. Since the Jaguars allowed 26 points in the fourth quarter against the Texans, they have not lost a game, making them a scary opponent in the playoffs.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos need a win against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18 at home in order to clinch homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The Chargers are arresting players, but if the Broncos somehow lost, there is a chance for the Texans to be their opponent if they lose as well.

This is a more likely divisional opponent for the Texans, but it won't be easy playing in the altitude against a team that has already beaten Houston this season.

New England Patriots

The Patriots might have the MVP of the league in Drake Maye, and although they are not proven in the playoffs, they have arguably been the best team top-to-bottom throughout the year in the AFC.

They can still clinch the number one seed with a win and a Broncos loss. But this is potentially who the Texans would have to face in the AFC championship if they got that far.

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