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Have the Texans dug too deep a hole?
The Houston Texans have dug a hole so deep this season that they've left no room for error.
The Texans are 3-5, in ninth-place in the AFC standings, and two games behind the Jaguars for the seventh and final playoff spot. They are 1½ games behind the Chiefs, who are off this week but play the Broncos when they return next week.
A win this week against the Jaguars brings the Texans within one game of their division rival.
But a loss will all but guarantee they won't make the playoffs.
According to the NY Times' playoff simulator, the Texans currently have a 2% chance to make the playoffs. But if they lose Sunday, that percentage drops to below 1%. If they win, their chances increase to 4%.
It's not just that the Texans' remaining schedule gets tougher. They have games against the Bills, Chiefs and Chargers still left. The issue is the teams ahead of them. Though the Chiefs (5-4) are in eighth place, they have the most experience and have won three of their last four games.
The Chargers (6-3), who are in sixth-place have won their last three games. And the Bills (6-2), who are in fifth-place, have shown no signs of slowing down either.
The Texans need to win these next four games against the Jaguars, Titans, Bills and Chiefs and have some help from others.
But as good as that sounds, it's easier said than done.
The hole Houston dug during the first half of the season just feels too deep.
 | Jonathan M. Alexander, Texans beat reporter |
Fantasy studs and duds
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TE Dalton Schultz
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Texans Trivia!
Monday's question: Janice McNair was the fourth person inducted into the Texans' Ring of Honor. Who was the first?
Answer: Bob McNair. Shoutout to Michael Brooke for being the first one to answer this correctly!
The next Trivia question will be in Friday's newsletter.