The implications of a Colts or Texans victory today for the AFC South and the NFL playoff landscape

Billy Heyen

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What a Colts or Texans win today means for AFC South, NFL playoff picture image

TL;DR

  • Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans face off in a crucial Week 13 AFC South game.
  • Colts aim to solidify division lead; Texans seek to stay close to the top.
  • C.J. Stroud's return boosts Texans; Jaguars play Titans, impacting division standings.
  • A Colts win strengthens playoff position; a Texans win keeps them in contention.

The AFC South divisional race will take further shape on Sunday in Week 13.

That's because the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans are facing off in a huge game for the NFL playoff picture.

The Colts enter the day at 8-3, coming off a loss.

The Texans have secured victory in their last three contests, bringing their record to 6-5, and they've received a boost with the comeback of quarterback C.J. Stroud following his injury.

They currently sandwich the 7-4 Jacksonville Jaguars in the division, with the Jags playing Sunday against the 1-10 Titans.

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Here's what's at stake:

Why the Colts need a win

Indianapolis could secure its division advantage, and a chance at the AFC's premier playoff spot (Patriots 10-2, Broncos 9-2), if they emerge victorious.

The Jags appear poised to defeat the Titans, meaning if the Colts are defeated, those squads would then share an 8-4 record at the division's summit, with The Texans trailing at 7-5.

The AFC wild card scenario is also quite competitive, meaning the Colts would benefit greatly from securing their division lead and avoiding concerns about potential outcomes following a string of losses.

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Why the Texans need a win

A defeat would drop the Texans to a 6-6 record, making a comeback difficult, especially within their division.

That performance would also place them outside the wild card spots, matching the record of the still-threatening Chiefs.

A Houston win would have them end the day no more than one game back of the division lead.

This would also demonstrate that the positive trajectory established by Davis Mills during a three-game winning streak was not diminished by the return of Stroud.

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Senior Editor