If you’re a Houston Texans fan, and you feel like, with a record fo 2-5, the Texans’ world is coming to an end imminently, just know that the oddsmakers still see the Texans as a team with a pulse. In the latest Super Bowl odds, released after Week 8 ended on Monday night, the Texans sit tied for 13th on the odds board with 35 to 1 odds to win the title.
Sure, 35 to 1 ain’t great, but for a team that is 2-5, with losses to three teams below them on the odds board, it’s still something. The odds for the Texans to merely MAKE the Super Bowl, representing the AFC, are 20 to 1, good for 7th on the AFC title odds board. I understand why the oddsmakers still haven’t punted on the Texans — they have a ton of talent and their quarterback is having a Pro Bowl caliber season.
Additionally, the path to get into the postseason the rest of the way is not all that hard, even for a team with a 2-5 record. The Texans have ten games remaining, and in all then of those games, the opposing team has some mitigating factor working against them that helps rationalize a Texans victory in each game. Let’s do this exercise, citing each remaining Texans opponent and the glitch that gives the Texans hope:
**Week 9: at Chargers (0-7)**
**Chargers Mitigating Factor: Poor QB play, poor coaching, dead season**
Nobody expected the Chargers to be the final winless team this season, but here we are. Justin Herbert is playing atrocious quarterback for them, completely torpedoing any chance OC Mike McDaniel has at getting a head coaching job again.
**Week 10: at Browns (5-3)**
**Browns Mitigating Factor: Poor QB play (for the most part)**
Deshaun Watson has been the starting QB for the Browns all season. The positive for Browns fans — he’s been awesome in fourth quarters on late game drives. The positive for fans of the opposition — he’s stunk the rest of the time. Somehow, the Browns are 5-3 despite a negative point differential on the season.
**Week 11: vs Colts (2-6)**
**Colts Mitigating Factor: They’re in garage sale mode**
The Colts fired their GM a couple weeks ago, and the interim front office has been selling off the roster for parts at pennies on the dollar. By the time the Texans face the Colts, Jonathan Taylor will likely be the next Colt gone.
**Week 12: vs Ravens (4-4)**
**Ravens Mitigating Factor: Lamar Jackson is hurt (again)**
Lamar Jackson returned from injury last Sunday in Buffalo. I was at this game, and was excited to see Jackson play in person. Unfortunately, he dislocated the thumb on his throwing hand on the first play of the game for the Ravens’ offense. As a ticket holder for that game, I was very upset. As a Texans fan, I was less upset, seeing as the Texans will miss Jackson for the second straight season.
**Week 13: at Steelers (6-2)**
**Steelers Mitigatins Factor: Rodgers is old, their record may be phony**
The Steelers have overachieved this season, with a 6-2 record so far. Aaron Rodgers has been solid, especially for a 42 year old signal caller. If we are looking for a mitigating factor for a 6-2 team, perhaps it’s the chance Rodgers, at his advanced age, could get hurt between now and Week 13. Also, the Texans dominated the Steelers in Pittsburgh in the playoffs last season.
**Week 14: at Commanders (2-4-1)**
**Commanders Mitigating Factor: Jayden Daniels tiny bird frame**
Since making the NFC title game in the 2024 season, it’s been a disaster for Jayden Daniels and the Commanders. Daniels’ skinny frame has led to multiple injuries, and the team sits at 2-4-1 on this season, in a bad division. Daniels has fallen off from his 2024 Rookie of the Year season far more precipitously than C.J. Stroud did after 2023.
**Week 15: vs Jaguars (5-2)**
**Jaguars Mitigating Factor: Texans beat ‘em once, do it again!**
The Jaguars are easily the best team the Texans will face down the stretch. The good news is (a) the game is at home, (b) the Texans have beaten the Jags once already this season, and (c) when you’re trailing in the standings like the Texans are, you need head to head opportunities like this with teams above you in the standings.
**Week 16: at Eagles (2-6)**
**Eagles Mitigating Factor: Jalen Hurts is done for the season**
The Eagles lost starting QB Jalen Hurts (shout out, Channelview!) to blood clots in his lungs, and he is done for the season. Tanner McKee is the guy now in Philly. What looked like the hardest game on the schedule now becomes a must-win for the Texans.
**Week 17: at Packers (5-3)**
**Packers Mitigating Factor: Texans late season momentum**
This is the second hardest game, behind the Week 15 Jags game. This will be on a Monday night, in January, in Green Bay. There’s not much to like about this matchup, but I’ll bank on the Texans having similar momentum down the stretch as they had last season amidst their nine game winning streak.
**Week 18: vs Titans** **(1-7)**
**Titans Mitigating Factor: They’re the Titans**
It’s the Titans, and it’s in Houston. Unless Cam Ward has grown up real fast as the quarterback of the Titans, this should be a win. The Titans traded their best player, Jeffrey Simmons, to Chicago last week.