The Houston Texans clinched a playoff berth after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 20-16.
Houston extended its NFL-best winning streak to eight games after starting the season 0-3.
The Texans are the first franchise in NFL history to make the playoffs in multiple seasons after an 0-3 start.
INGLEWOOD, CA — There could be a problem for the rest of the NFL in H-Town.
There isn’t a hotter team right now than the Houston Texans, who extended their NFL-best win streak to eight games after a 20-16 road win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 27.
The victory officially clinched the Texans a playoff berth and served as a testament to how far the team’s come after an 0-3 start to the regular season. The Texans are the first franchise in NFL history to make the playoffs in multiple seasons in which they started 0-3.
“Man, it’s a blessing. It started off slow. It’s all good. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Proud of this team. We took one game at a time, continued to press forward. And man, we came on the road in LA, and got the win,” Texans wide receiver Nico Collins told USA TODAY Sports. “We are hungry. We feel like we never get down on ourselves. I feel like there’s always opportunity to get better, always chasing greatness, and I feel that’s what we’re doing right now.”
DeMeco Ryans is the sixth head coach since 2000 to make the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, according to NFL Research.
Ryans said the turning point to the Texans’ season was Week 10 when Houston rallied to defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars with Davis Mills behind center.
“You see the way our guys show up to work with joy. Every single day. Everybody enjoys working together, everybody enjoys the process of working – whether it’s meetings (and) practice. When guys show up that way with joy, smiles on their faces excited to work – you can accomplish anything,” Ryans said. “That’s what I see from our guys. That’s why we are here now.”
Texans defense creating problems at all levels
The primary reason why the Texans are playoff bound, though, is because of their defense. Ryans, a defensive-minded head coach and once a standout linebacker in the NFL for 10 seasons, boasts the best defense in the NFL. The Texans defense came into Week 17 ranked first in league in total defense and points allowed.
Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are likely the best pass rushing duo in the NFL. Derek Stingley Jr. is regarded as one of the top cornerbacks in the league. Anderson and Hunter had 1.5 sacks Saturday and have combined for 26 sacks this season. Coming into Week 17, Stingley registered 44 passes defensed since 2023, the most by any player in the NFL over that span. He had one pass defensed against the Chargers.
“Man, our brand of ball is just one word, and that’s, swarm,” Anderson said of the word the Texans use as a defensive mantra. “That’s it. Swarm when everything else fails, when everything goes south, whatever may happen, good or bad. Everybody just swarming. We’ve been brainwashed in swarm. It’s in everybody’s head. You step on that field, you swarming no matter who you are. I think that’s the beautiful thing about our defense, too. You look at our defense, we got dogs everywhere. Everybody’s an Alpha dog on this defense.”
The Texans have won 14 straight games when they score 20-plus points dating back to 2024. They haven’t given up more than 29 points all season. If C.J. Stroud continues to manage games and the offense avoids catastrophic mistakes, there’s no reason why the Texans can’t go on a lengthy playoff run behind their stout defense.
Houston’s certainly a club nobody wants to face.
“My message to the guys was congratulations to everyone, because you guys earned this,” Ryans said. “Getting into the playoffs is not about an opinion or what somebody thinks. You have to earn your way into the playoffs. And our guys played winning football to get us into position to be in the playoffs.”
Owners of the longest active winning streak in the NFL, the Texans are currently the hottest team in the league. Houston’s going to be a problem for whoever they face in the postseason.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.