How the Texans can still make the playoffs after setback against Browns: ‘Tough loss, this game meant a lot’

HOUSTON – Inside of a mostly empty Texans locker room on Christmas Eve following an ugly loss as players left quickly to celebrate the holiday with their families, wide receiver Nico Collins stuck around and emphasized the reality of the situation.

As damaging as a 36-22 blowout loss to the Cleveland Browns was as quarterback Joe Flacco piled up 368 passing yards and three touchdowns and wide receiver Amari Cooper setting a franchise record with 265 receiving yards, the 8-7 Texans still have a clear pathway to the playoffs. There is no margin for error, starting with next Sunday’s home game against the Tennessee Titans.

“Definitely a tough loss, we knew this game meant a lot, but you got to show up a little better,” Collins said. “It’s tough. It didn’t go the way we wanted it to, but on to the next, on to Tennessee, We’ve got to continue to chase our goals.”

As the Texans struggled on offense to muster any kind of meaningful drives with Case Keenum passing for just 62 yards and being intercepted twice before giving way to Davis Mills late in the game, the absence of injured rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud due to a concussion loomed large.

Unless the Texans upgrade their play significantly on both sides of the football, the truth is the playoffs could be nothing more than a pipe dream due to multiple key injuries and inconsistent play and execution.

“For us, we’ve got to play better football,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Before we have an opportunity to talk about a playoff or get in, we’ve got to play better. You have to earn those spots to get into the playoffs. So, if we go and play better and earn a spot, then we can talk about possibly the playoff race and what does that look like. But, until then, we’ve got to do a much better job collectively.”

Should the Texans, currently ranked eighth and not in line to earn a playoff berth if the season was over today, win their final two games against the Titans and Indianapolis Colts, they’ll earn a spot in the postseason.

The Texans would earn it based on the tiebreaker of a superior division record, potentially finishing 4-2 overall. The Texans also have head-to-head edges over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Denver Broncos.

The Jaguars, Colts and Texans all lost on Sunday and have identical 8-7 records with the Texans splitting the season series against Jacksonville and losing earlier this season to Indianapolis.

“There’s tough games, tough losses, it’s about getting back up and going back out there and picking yourself up and dusting yourself off,” Keenum said one week after leading the Texans to an overtime victory over Tennessee with 229 passing yards and a touchdown pass.. “We still have a chance. We still have some opportunities.”

Not beating the Browns, who were favored to win the game and have the top-ranked pass defense in the league, represents a setback for the Texans.

“It sucks,” Ryans said. “You lose. Had a good opportunity here, but we didn’t accomplish the job. We didn’t get the job done today. So, it’s back to it. Next week, it’s back to it. How are we going to show up next week ready to go? And, that’s all that matters. Can’t do anything about this game now.”

“We’ve got to play better, and it starts with me, I’ve got to coach better. That’s the first thing I told our guys. For me, obviously it wasn’t good enough today, and it all starts with me. That’s what I told our guys. I have to do better, and we have to play better, of course.”

The Texans, 3-13-1 a year ago under former coach Lovie Smith, are involved in meaningful December football games. The final chapter on their season is still being written.

“It’s hard to look at that,” Keenum said. “I haven’t even seen what the other scores were and what that means for us moving forward. But, yeah, you hope to have a chance. With two games left, to have a chance with a lot of it in your corner, if that’s the way it is, I don’t know.

“That’s great. That’s something to play for. I think a lot of guys in that locker room play for a lot of things, but to have something on the line, and games in December are obviously very important.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.