Ranking the Houston Texans’ most important games down the stretch

For the first time in three seasons, the Houston Texans are 4-4 and firmly part of the AFC playoff picture entering November.

New head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, an overwhelming favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year, have seemingly revitalized the franchise overnight. They’re two games behind the Jacksonville Jaguars and just one game behind the 5-3 Cincinatti Bengals for the final Wild Card spot in the conference.

Considering the major importance of the closing schedule for Houston moving forward, it’s a worthwhile exercise to think about what games will be the most important down the stretch in pursuit of the playoffs. Whether it’s difficult of opponent, timing on the schedule, or rivalries there are multiple intriguing contests for Houston.