Postgame update: The Texas beat the Cardinals, 40-20, in Week 15 to keep pace in the AFC playoff picture. The Texans would be the No. 7 seed in the AFC right now, meaning a first-round matchup with the No. 2 seed New England Patriots. The Texans, at 9-5 overall, are one game behind the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South, but earn their way into the playoffs via the wildcard. The Cardinals fall to 3-11 and would currently have the No. 6 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
NFL playoff picture: What Texans’ win mean for AFC standings
The Texans face the Cardinals in Houston on Sunday. We break down what the game means for the NFL playoff picture in Week 15.
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The Houston Texans host the Arizona Cardinals in a Week 15 matchup they’re hoping gives them a bit of a breather. The Cardinals can be tricky, but after a three-week stretch that included the Bills, Colts, and Chiefs, Houston will be looking to get a slightly easier matchup.
The Texans beat all three teams and are riding a five-game winning streak that included a critical divisional win over the Jaguars. Houston sits at 8-5, which is rather impressive given they opened the season with three straight losses. Their offense remains a problem, but the defense is playing as well as anybody in the league.
Houston is a 9.5-point favorite against Arizona.
Houston Texans playoff picture
The Texans are in second place in the AFC South, one game back of the Jaguars and tied but holding the tiebreaker for the time-being. The Texans and Colts face off in Week 18, although losing Daniel Jones for the season could sink the Colts — unless Philip Rivers shocks the world.
The Jaguars host the Jets this week and are a 12.5-point favorite. The Colts are traveling the face the Seahawks and are a 13.5-point underdog.
AFC South standings
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-4
- Houston Texans: 8-5
- Indianapolis Colts: 8-5
- Tennessee Titans: 2-11
The Texans are sitting in seventh place in the overall conference standings. They are a game back of the Chargers and Bills for the top two wild card spots. Houston beat Buffalo earlier this season and faces LA in Week 17, so they could sweep the head-to-head with a win. They split with Jacksonville this season, but if they can climb past the Jaguars, they would move into third place in the conference.
AFC playoff standings
- Denver Broncos: 11-2
- New England Patriots: 11-2
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-4
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-6
- Los Angeles Chargers: 9-4
- Buffalo Bills: 9-4
- Houston Texans: 8-5
- Indianapolis Colts: 8-5
- Baltimore Ravens: 6-7
- Kansas City Chiefs: 6-7
- Miami Dolphins: 6-7
Tiebreaker implications
The Cardinals faced all four AFC South teams, so this could implicate the common games tiebreaker, which follows head-to-head and divisional record on the list of tiebreakers. The Jaguars and Colts both beat the Cardinals, so the only implication is if Houston were to lose an upset to Arizona. The Cardinals did not face the Bills or Chargers, so in the unlikely event common games did come into play for Houston and one or both of those two, this game would not matter.
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