Where Texans' Playoff Odds Stand at the Bye Week (There's Still Hope)

The Houston Texans are heading into their Week 8 bye with a whole lot less optimism surrounding their chances to make the postseason compared to where things stood to start the year off.

Before the 2026 season started, many saw this Texans roster capable of not just winning the AFC South, but stacking up as one of the premier Super Bowl contenders around the NFL.

A dominant defense, a much-improved offense, and a quarterback-head coach duo that has made the playoffs each of their three seasons being paired with one another; there was lots to feel good about for this Texans unit.

However, fast forward to the middle point of the Texans' season, and things haven't quite panned out as well as they would have liked. Houston's 2-5, coming off one of their worst losses of the year against the New York Giants, and their chances of being one of the seven teams to claw into the postseason have dwindled pretty noticeably.

That's not to say their chances are totally dead in the water, though––especially knowing that this Texans team has been prone to make a late-season run just as recently as last season.

Where Texans' Playoff Odds Stand at Week 8

Honestly, when taking a peek at just where the Texans' playoff odds stack up after dropping five of their first seven games on the season, you might not believe that they're truly a 2-5 football team.

According to odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, the Texans are currently +200 to make the NFL playoffs, which, when stacking those chances up to the rest of the AFC, places them with the 10th-best odds within the conference to make a run to the postseason.

The only teams that the Texans rank ahead of? That's the Las Vegas Raiders (+560), Indianapolis Colts (+1500), New York Jets (+1600), LA Chargers (+3500), and a pair of teams that don't even have eligible odds to make the postseason: the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans.

Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 Houston Texans' C.J. Stroud in action Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs | Action Images via Reuters

Of course, it's not exactly the most favorable company for the Texans to be included with. Those six teams with playoff odds below Houston have a combined record of 9-31. But there's certainly more reason to believe in a late-season run for this Houston roster than those aforementioned five.

For one, this Texans roster has more than enough talent on both sides of the ball. Houston has a total of six Pro Bowlers still onboard from last season that might've not played up to that level early on in the year––Kamari Lassiter, Azeez Al-Shaair––but has the resume to support that they can turn things around in the weeks ahead.

But on top of that, the Texans' successess in the second half of the NFL calendar have been well-documented ever since DeMeco Ryans took the reigns as head coach back in 2023.

From Week 9 onwards since 2023, Ryans has a collective record of 20-9, which reached its peak back when the Texans went on a nine-game winning streak to close out their previous 2025 campaign, and perhaps something similar could transpire in the coming weeks.

Through the next three games, Houston does have some winnable matchups on tap: a road trip to face the Chargers, a date against former Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and the Browns, and a rematch against the Colts after their prior loss back in Week 3.

Perhaps another late-season run could be brewing for the Texans. However, there's no question that if Houston wants to make their fourth consecutive playoff berth, wins have to start piling up, and fast. Time will tell if they can.

Sign up for our free Houston Texans On SI newsletter, and get breaking Texans news delivered to your inbox daily!

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Add us as a preferred source on Google