Dec. 28 could be the day when what is perhaps the NFL’s most coveted and well-known defensive record falls – Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett needing just one sack to eclipse the single-season standard of 22½ set by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan nearly a quarter of a century ago (with an assist from Brett Favre) and matched by the Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt in 2021. And it’s noteworthy that Garrett could reset the bar in his 16th game given the regular season expanded to 17 contests in 2021 − though it must be acknowledged that Watt only actually played in 15 the year when he matched Strahan.

Yet Garrett is hardly the only star seeking entry into the league’s record book as the 2025 campaign winds down and certainly not the only one who could benefit from the expanded schedule. Here are six other stars (and one team) chasing history of their own, some of these marks in much more immediate jeopardy than others:

Trey McBride – most receptions by a tight end in a season

The Washington Commanders’ Zach Ertz broke new ground seven years ago, hauling in 116 balls when he was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. McBride, the Arizona Cardinals’ two-time Pro Bowler – and, arguably, their best player – needs eight more grabs over the final two weeks to overtake Ertz’s benchmark. (UPDATE: McBride broke the record in Sunday’s loss at Cincinnati, his 10 receptions putting him at 119.)

Christian McCaffrey – most 1,000-1,000-yard seasons

In 2019, CMC joined Roger Craig and Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk as the only players to gain 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season. With 151 yards through the air over his final two games, McCaffrey would become the first to accomplish the feat multiple times.

Christian McCaffrey – most receiving yards by a running back in a season

He’d need an even 200 in the next two games to top Faulk’s mark (1,048) in the Super Bowl era, which began in 1966.

Denver Broncos – most sacks by a team in a season

The 1985 Chicago Bears are immortalized as perhaps the greatest squad to ever grace a football field. But it was the ’84 Bears who racked up 72 sacks, the most ever by one club. The 2025 Denver Broncos have slowed down in that department lately but have 64 of their own. They’d need quite a performance in the regular-season finale to catch Da Bears, but it’s possible.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Puka Nacua – most receiving yards in a season

They’re long shots. But with JSN’s Seattle Seahawks and Nacua’s Los Angeles Rams both in the thick of the NFC West race – and each pursuing home-field advantage and a first-round playoff bye – they certainly have reasons to put on big-time performances over the next two weeks. Smith-Njigba leads the league with 1,637 receiving yards, while Nacua, who missed Week 7 with an ankle injury, has 1,592. Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson – Megatron – set the record in 2012 with 1,964 yards. Nacua has eclipsed 170 in three outings this year, including a career-high 225 in his most recent one – the epic 39-38 loss to Smith-Njigba’s Seahawks. JSN hasn’t hit 170 in a game in 2025 but has surpassed 160 twice. But given none of us his teammates are within 1,000 yards of him, he could go off at any time as the lone guy Pro Bowl QB Sam Darnold routinely feeds.

Josh Allen – most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season

The reigning MVP, who shares the record with Jalen Hurts – they jointly set it in 2023 with 15 – needs four more to break it anew … though Allen could be limited by a bum foot.

Bijan Robinson – most yards from scrimmage in a season

The Atlanta Falcons star leads the NFL with 2,026 combined rushing and receiving yards. It would take some serious doing to bypass Chris Johnson, who had 2,509 in 2009 – CJ2K is still the only player to hit the 2,500 plateau. But funny things happen in prime time, and Robinson’s Falcons host the Rams on Monday night … and have little left to play for aside from playing spoiler and maybe chasing outrageous numbers. Keep an eye on No. 7.

Michigan finally owned up to it. Not in the typical sense, mind you. But enough to clear the deck of doubt. 

Kyle Whittigham is the new Michigan coach, and if that doesn’t say we’ve officially disowned anything and everything Jim Harbaugh era, nothing will. 

The lying and cheating. The obstruction and obfuscation. The shame and embarrassment.

All of it replaced with one fortuitous hire of a ball coach who doesn’t take spit from anyone.

“Michigan is synonymous with tradition and excellence — both on the field and beyond” Whittingham said in a statement released by the school.

And with that, all of those closeted Michigan Men who choked down what Harbaugh and Sherrone Moore and Connor Stalions and Santa Ono and Warde Manuel were selling over the past three seasons, stepped into the fresh, cleansing sunlight of change. 

Real, unvarnished, deal with it change.    

If you know Whittingham, there’s zero chance some university relations flak penned that statement for him.

“Our entire program is committed to upholding those values while striving for greatness together,” Whittingham’s statement continued.

Together — instead of a one-man island running roughshod over nearly 150 years of standards and principles that defined a university, a bucolic college town and the ideal of amateur sports.

Look, we all know what college football has become. The money game is clear and undeniable — for universities and players and coaches — but it doesn’t mean you have to sell your soul to make it work. 

Or in this case, as Harbaugh famously proclaimed, beat Ohio State or die trying. 

It doesn’t mean the president of the university (Ono) does everything in his power to protect the football coach (Harbaugh), and kneecap the athletic director (Manuel) from managing the most important face-first employee on campus. 

It doesn’t mean the athletic director then cower in the face of managing the football coach, who then does whatever he wants — including flouting the NCAA rulebook — to bring a championship to Michigan.

It doesn’t mean the president and athletic director run cover for Harbaugh and the program during not one, but two NCAA investigations during what would become the greatest season in the history of the program.

It doesn’t mean the president and athletic director then compound the problems, and double down by hiring a two-time NCAA cheater (the recently fired Moore) to follow the guy who spent the previous four seasons burning down the university’s once spotless reputation.

But Michigan got that national title, baby. It got a four-game winning streak over Ohio State. 

And now it has a real, live sheriff in town to clean up the mess. To walk through Schembechler Hall and once again be clear and concise: it’s about The Team. 

The entire university team. 

This carnival of the absurd ends now. Harbaugh fled for the NFL, Ono fled in May, and got his comeuppance when Florida refused to hire him after initially sending his name to the board of trustees for his appointment as president. 

Moore was fired after two seasons because he was a train wreck waiting to happen. And then ― I know this is going to shock you ― it careened off track worse than anyone could’ve imagined. 

The only one left is Manuel, who will be gone soon enough.

Whittingham, 66, found his way to Ann Arbor after Utah made it clear it was ready to move in another direction despite the success — and Whittingham made it clear he wasn’t done coaching. 

Michigan somehow not only stumbled into the best hire of the offseason, but landed a wildly successful coach who worked magic at Utah despite recruiting limitations. And by limitations, I mean money. 

Money buys players, players win championships. In lieu of that, elite coaching and development can win championships, too. Just not as often. 

Put those two together, and you’ve got a formula to rise from the mess Harbaugh, Moore, Ono and Manuel created. A chance to power wash the filth in one offseason, and come roaring back in 2026.

A chance to move forward quickly with elite young quarterback Bryce Underwood, and a stacked roster that needs supplementing from the transfer portal — and needs the real, tangible development Whittingham and his staff showed season after season, while working in the college football shadows in Salt Lake City.

Now he’s on the big stage at the Big House. The guy who began his coaching career in 1985 as a graduate assistant at his alma mater BYU, who hasn’t since spent a single season east of the state of Utah.

He’s not a Michigan Man, all right.

And that’s exactly what Michigan needs to clean the mess and win big again. 

A rapidly crystallizing NFL playoff picture could gain several degrees more clarity after Sunday’s Week 17 schedule is completed.

There’s only one berth left in each conference still to be determined, though several conference titles and the full seeding picture is still up for grabs. That means fewer clinching scenarios are on the table. But each of those outstanding spots – going to the respective winners of the AFC North and NFC South – could be determined by the completion of the weekend.

After Saturday’s games, here’s a look at what’s at stake on Sunday:

NFL Week 17 clinching scenarios

Denver Broncos Week 17 playoff clinching scenarios

Broncos clinch AFC’s No. 1 seed with:

1. Patriots loss + Bills loss or tie + Jaguars loss or tie

New England Patriots Week 17 playoff clinching scenarios

Patriots clinch AFC East with:

Patriots win + Bills loss or tie
Patriots tie + Bills loss

Pittsburgh Steelers Week 17 playoff clinching scenarios

Steelers clinch AFC North with:

Steelers win or tie

Seattle Seahawks Week 17 playoff clinching scenarios

Seahawks clinch NFC West and NFC’s No. 1 seed with:

Seahawks win + Rams loss or tie + 49ers-Bears tie

Carolina Panthers Week 17 playoff clinching scenarios

Panthers clinch NFC South with:

Panthers win + Buccaneers loss or tie
Panthers tie + Buccaneers loss

The NFL playoff picture is rapidly coming into focus as the final two weeks of the 2025 NFL season wrap up.

Entering play Dec. 28, a total of 12 playoff berths have been clinched. It’s possible all 14 could be spoken for by the end of Week 17, though it’s also possible the AFC North and NFC South could come down to win-or-go-home games in the season’s final week.

How does the 2025 NFL playoff bracket look with less than two weeks remaining in the season? Here’s a look at the NFL playoff picture for Week 17.

Who is in the NFL playoffs so far?

A total of 12 teams have officially clinched playoff berths for 2025. They are:

AFC

Denver Broncos
New England Patriots
Jacksonville Jaguars
Buffalo Bills
Los Angeles Chargers
Houston Texans

NFC

Seattle Seahawks
Chicago Bears
Philadelphia Eagles
Los Angeles Rams
San Francisco 49ers
Green Bay Packers

A total of 10 teams had clinched passage to the postseason entering Week 17. The latest additions to the group are the Packers and Texans.

Green Bay made it into the postseason by virtue of the Detroit Lions’ Christmas Day loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Meanwhile, Houston beat the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday to clinch a playoff berth despite starting 2025 NFL season with an 0-3 record.

NFL division winners 2025

While 12 playoff berths have been clinched, just three teams have won their divisions. Below is a full look at the list:

AFC

AFC East: TBD
AFC North: TBD
AFC South: TBD
AFC West: Denver Broncos

NFC

NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles
NFC North: Chicago Bears
NFC South: TBD
NFC West: TBD

The Broncos earned their first division title since 2015 in Week 17. They beat the Kansas City Chiefs – who won nine consecutive AFC West titles – on Christmas Day and then saw the Chargers lose to the Texans on Saturday, guaranteeing Denver would take home the division title.

The Packers’ Dec. 27 loss to the Ravens secured the rival Bears’ hold of the NFC North.

NFL playoff bracket update

AFC playoff bracket

1. Denver Broncos (13-3, AFC West winners): BYE

The Broncos clinched the AFC West in Week 17 by virtue of their Christmas Day win over the Chiefs and the Chargers’ loss to the Texans on Saturday. Denver now just needs to earn a win in Week 18 to clinch the AFC’s No. 1 overall seed, a first-round bye and an assurance that the AFC playoffs will go through Empower Field at Mile High Stadium.

2. New England Patriots (12-3, AFC East leaders) vs. 7. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5, wild card No. 3)

The Patriots have officially clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2021. Their next goal will be to challenge the Broncos for the AFC’s No. 1 seed before New England tries to win its first playoff game since the Tom Brady era. The Chargers have dropped from the AFC’s top wild-card team to the seventh seed after their loss to the Texans, and their banged-up offensive line could be an issue Mike Vrabel’s defense could exploit.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4, AFC South leaders) vs. 6. Houston Texans (11-5, wild card No. 2)

The Jaguars and Texans are set to battle for the AFC South title over the final weeks of the season. They are also currently on track to play one another in the wild-card round. The teams split their two-game season series, with each squad beating the other by a touchdown; a postseason meeting would feature a fun, strength-on-strength matchup between a red-hot Jaguars offense and a Texans defense that ranks No. 1 overall league-wide in defensive EPA per play, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6, AFC North leaders) vs. 5. Buffalo Bills (11-4, wild card No. 1)

The Steelers need only to win Dec. 28 to clinch the AFC North, which would likely earn them the No. 4 seed in the conference. Meanwhile, the Bills moved ahead of the Chargers in the race for the No. 1 wild-card spot but will be hoping they can somehow catch the Patriots in the tight AFC East race. If the Bills can’t achieve the latter goal, they may relish a matchup against the Steelers, who they beat 26-7 in Week 13.

NFC playoff bracket

1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3, NFC West leaders): BYE

The Seahawks hold an advantage in the race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed entering Week 17 after beating the Rams on ‘Thursday Night Football.’ Seattle’s defense ranks second in the NFL in defensive EPA per play while Sam Darnold has enjoyed a strong, efficient first season with the Seahawks. Their well-balanced team will be hard to knock off in the postseason, provided Darnold can avoid sacks and turnovers whenever Seattle plays its first game.

2. Chicago Bears (11-4, NFC North leaders) vs. 7. Green Bay Packers (9-6-1, wild card No. 3)

The Bears and Packers met twice in the regular season and split their two-game series. Both games came down to the final minutes, with Caleb Williams throwing a game-ending interception in one but hitting DJ Moore for a game-winning touchdown in overtime the next time they played. A postseason matchup between the two would likely be close, though Micah Parsons’ season-ending ACL tear could put a damper on the Packers’ chances of advancing.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5, NFC North winners) vs. 6. Los Angeles Rams (11-4, wild card No. 2)

The Eagles won’t have an easy path to defend their Super Bowl title. They are currently tracking to play the Rams, who nearly beat them en route to their Super Bowl 59 victory last season. Los Angeles is engaged in a tight battle for the NFC West and could end up seeded anywhere from No. 1 overall to No. 7 in the NFC playoff picture. It would be interesting to see if they would be favored over the Eagles, even on the road, thanks to the strong performance of Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua.

4. Carolina Panthers (8-7, NFC South leaders) vs. 5. San Francisco 49ers (11-4, wild card No. 1)

This game would be a rematch of a Week 12 ‘Monday Night Football’ battle against these two teams. The 49ers earned a 20-9 victory in a defensive battle and would look to use a similar formula to stymie Bryce Young, who threw two interceptions in the contest. The Panthers have played well in recent weeks and just earned a critical head-to-head win over the Buccaneers to take control of the NFC South. Carolina may need to win in Week 18 to clinch a playoff berth, however, so Dave Canales’ squad still has work to do to close the season.

NFL playoff picture

AFC

Denver Broncos (13-3, AFC West winners)*
New England Patriots (12-3, AFC East leaders)*
Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4, AFC South leaders)*
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6, AFC North leaders)
Buffalo Bills (11-4, wild card No. 1)*
Houston Texans (11-5, wild card No. 2)*
Los Angeles Chargers (11-5, wild card No. 3)*

In the hunt: Baltimore Ravens (8-8)

NFC

Seattle Seahawks (12-3, NFC West leaders)*
Chicago Bears (11-4, NFC North winners)*
Philadelphia Eagles (10-5, NFC East winners)*
Carolina Panthers (8-7, NFC South leaders)
San Francisco 49ers (11-4, wild card No. 1)*
Los Angeles Rams (11-4, wild card No. 2)*
Green Bay Packers (9-6-1, wild card No. 3)*

In the hunt: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)

* Denotes team that has clinched a playoff berth.

Brock Purdy is back and dealing for the 49ers, but the status of two of his top targets remains in question ahead of San Francisco’s Week 17 ‘Sunday Night Football’ home game against the Chicago Bears.

Veteran tight end George Kittle and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall are both listed as questionable heading into the 8:20 p.m. ET game, meaning that 49ers fans and fantasy football managers will be watching their status closely.

While Pearsall has steadily progressed toward playing after missing practice all last week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Kittle is ‘highly unlikely’ to play. Here’s the latest on the 49ers banged-up pass catchers:

Will George Kittle play in Week 17?

Kittle is questionable for the 49ers’ Week 17 game against the Bears as he deals with an ankle injury. Kittle has caught 52 passes for 599 yards and seven touchdowns this year.

Will Ricky Pearsall play in Week 17?

Schefter, citing a source, said Pearsall is likely to play in the 49ers’ game against the Bears as he recovers from a knee injury. The wide receiver has 31 receptions for 443 yards in an injury-shortened season that has seen him miss seven games.

49ers tight end depth chart

George Kittle (questionable)
Luke Farrell
Jake Tonges

49ers wide receiver depth chart

Jauan Jennings
Ricky Pearsall (questionable)
Demarcus Robinson
Kendrick Bourne
Skyy Moore
Jordan Watkins

Despite being reduced to a battle of backup quarterbacks, Saturday’s showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers was hardly starved for relevance.

The prime-time meetup seemed sure to lose some of its luster with both Jordan Love (concussion) and Lamar Jackson (back) ruled out. But with their contrasting offensive approaches, both the Ravens and Packers provided plenty of reasons for fans to figure out how to tune into Peacock to catch the exclusive stream.

Ultimately, the Ravens kept their playoff hopes alive with a 41-24 win over the Packers, who lost their third consecutive game. Still, Baltimore could be eliminated from postseason contention on Sunday, as the Pittsburgh Steelers can wrap up the AFC North with a win over the Cleveland Browns.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from the Ravens’ triumph over the Packers:

Winners

Derrick Henry

No questions this week about how the five-time Pro Bowl running back fit into the Ravens’ backfield plans. Henry was the focal point of Baltimore’s offense from the get-go, recording three rushing touchdowns before halftime. He broke free for another to ice game late in the fourth quarter, finishing with 216 rushing yards – the most ever at Lambeau Field by a visiting player – on a career-high 36 carries. He also surpassed Tony Dorsett to move into 10th in NFL history in career rushing yards and tied Adrian Peterson for fourth in career rushing touchdowns.

Malik Willis’ free agency value

In an offseason where the need for quarterbacks again figures to far outpace the supply of promising signal-callers, Willis is shaping up to be one of the most fascinating figures of free agency. The former third-round pick made the most of his showcase game, opening with a pair of impressive downfield strikes before weaponizing his running skills throughout the evening en route to two touchdowns via the ground. Perhaps more importantly, the volatile dual-threat signal-caller showed impressive composure and shrewd decision-making rather than forcing the ill-advised tight window throws he’s gravitated toward in the past. So long as the right shoulder injury that forced him to exit in the fourth quarter isn’t severe, Willis looks bound for a head-turning payday in March.

John Harbaugh

A frigid night at Lambeau Field might have helped the league’s second-longest-tenured coach turn the temperature down a bit on speculation about his future. The Ravens still are a long shot to return to the playoffs, but Harbaugh at least avoided a full-blown meltdown and accusations of his team folding amid suboptimal circumstances. And while it might be cold comfort if Baltimore is denied the AFC North title on Sunday, Harbaugh still can avoid just the third losing ledger of his 18-year career if he can squeeze out a win against the Steelers in Week 18.

Tyler Huntley

He won’t earn a Willis-like payout in free agency for his performance, but Huntley gave the Ravens enough on a night when they didn’t have much room for error. His passing production was modest, with just 107 yards coming through the air. But the trusted backup avoided catastrophic sacks and turnovers, and he came up clutch on a critical fourth-quarter touchdown strike to Zay Flowers on a third-and-8 look. That’s the kind of output bound to keep Huntley in demand in a league with a shortage of trustworthy QB2s.

Losers

Packers’ defensive front

Maybe it wasn’t fair to expect Green Bay to offer a ton of resistance with their two most disruptive forces in Micah Parsons and Devonte Wyatt out with season-ending injuries. Still, not even an illusion of a consistent aerial attack was required for the Ravens to run roughshod over the Packers. The 175 rushing yards surrendered in the first half represented the most given up by the defense in a game all year. Baltimore rolled to 307 yards and 22 first downs on the ground alone, with Green Bay unable to consistently force the offense into difficult third-down looks or obvious passing situations. Barring a substantial short-term turnaround, this group could be the Packers’ postseason undoing, particularly if a rematch with the rival Chicago Bears and their prolific rushing attack awaits in the wild-card round.

Packers’ depth

Green Bay was already hurting entering the game. The losses kept coming with Willis, cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Kamal Hadden, wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks, defensive lineman Jordon Riley and safety Zayne Anderson all suffering injuries from which they would not return. At this point in the year, the Packers simply don’t have enough to keep weathering these losses.

Josh Jacobs

Entering the game with no injury designation despite being limited in practice during the week due to his knee and ankle, the Packers running back certainly wasn’t afforded the Derrick Henry treatment. Jacobs received just two carries for 1 yard in the first half and finished with 3 yards on the ground. It was another tough outing for a ball carrier coming off a 36-yard performance in a loss to the Chicago Bears, which also featured a key fumble.

Steelers

Pittsburgh surely would have appreciated waking up to a secured AFC North title. But given how this season has gone within the division, it’s fitting that the crown wouldn’t be conferred with ease. The Steelers can still seal the deal against an overmatched Browns team on Sunday.

Jeff Hafley’s head-coaching candidacy

At one point this fall, the Packers defensive coordinator looked as though he could have as good a case as anyone at his level to secure a top job this offseason. But with the way things are trending, Hafley probably needs at least a third season in the role before ascending to the head-coaching ranks. Green Bay’s 27 first-half points marked the most given up by the unit all season. The Packers defense briefly showed some signs of life in the second half, but the group largely failed Willis on a night when he provided more than enough of a spark for the offense. No matter how strong of a case he can build in an interview setting, Hafley will have a hard time overcoming the unit’s trajectory to earn himself a head-coaching gig.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks earned a 112-103 victory over the Chicago Bulls on the road in the latest installment of the rivalry.

Antetokounmpo finished the game with 29 points and eight rebounds in the win.

He increased the score in the final seconds of the game with a breakaway windmill dunk with no defenders chasing after him.

Nikola Vučević of the Bulls took exception to Antetokounmpo’s dunk and walked over to midcourt to talk with the Bucks’ star.

Players from both teams began to run over before things became physical. It remains unclear whether any repercussions will be handed down to anyone by the league.

It was one of at least two physical altercations during an NBA game on Saturday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo comments on decision to dunk

Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke to reporters after the game and explained his reasoning for dunking in the final seconds against the Bulls.

‘What, we’re 11th in the East? Are we 11th in the East or 12th? 11th? Just gotta keep finding our identity. And if that is to get a little bit of scrappy at the end, so be it,’ Antetokounmpo said. ‘Like, we’re not the champs. Why should we play the clock out and have respect and fair play? Like we’re fighting for our lives right now. This is real talk, I’ve been 13 years in the league, if we keep on losing, brother, probably half of the team’s not gonna be here.

‘We’re not going to make the playoffs (in 11th). Like I really don’t care. At the end of the day, I just want to be available, be healthy, and help my team win. And if that’s what has to happen for them – everybody – to wake up and understand like we’re fighting for our lives and we gotta get our hands dirty, so be it.’

Nikola Vučević comments on Antetokounmpo’s dunk

Nikola Vučević was asked to comment on the situation that took place after the game and his comments to Antetokounmpo.

‘I’m assuming Giannis was mad about that report that came out the Bulls didn’t want to trade for him,’ Vučević said.

The Houston Texans clinched a playoff berth after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 20-16.
Houston extended its NFL-best winning streak to eight games after starting the season 0-3.
The Texans are the first franchise in NFL history to make the playoffs in multiple seasons after an 0-3 start.

INGLEWOOD, CA — There could be a problem for the rest of the NFL in H-Town.

There isn’t a hotter team right now than the Houston Texans, who extended their NFL-best win streak to eight games after a 20-16 road win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 27.

The victory officially clinched the Texans a playoff berth and served as a testament to how far the team’s come after an 0-3 start to the regular season. The Texans are the first franchise in NFL history to make the playoffs in multiple seasons in which they started 0-3.

“Man, it’s a blessing. It started off slow. It’s all good. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Proud of this team. We took one game at a time, continued to press forward. And man, we came on the road in LA, and got the win,” Texans wide receiver Nico Collins told USA TODAY Sports. “We are hungry. We feel like we never get down on ourselves. I feel like there’s always opportunity to get better, always chasing greatness, and I feel that’s what we’re doing right now.”

DeMeco Ryans is the sixth head coach since 2000 to make the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, according to NFL Research.

Ryans said the turning point to the Texans’ season was Week 10 when Houston rallied to defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars with Davis Mills behind center.

“You see the way our guys show up to work with joy. Every single day. Everybody enjoys working together, everybody enjoys the process of working – whether it’s meetings (and) practice. When guys show up that way with joy, smiles on their faces excited to work – you can accomplish anything,” Ryans said. “That’s what I see from our guys. That’s why we are here now.”

Texans defense creating problems at all levels

The primary reason why the Texans are playoff bound, though, is because of their defense. Ryans, a defensive-minded head coach and once a standout linebacker in the NFL for 10 seasons, boasts the best defense in the NFL. The Texans defense came into Week 17 ranked first in league in total defense and points allowed.

Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are likely the best pass rushing duo in the NFL. Derek Stingley Jr. is regarded as one of the top cornerbacks in the league. Anderson and Hunter had 1.5 sacks Saturday and have combined for 26 sacks this season. Coming into Week 17, Stingley registered 44 passes defensed since 2023, the most by any player in the NFL over that span. He had one pass defensed against the Chargers.

“Man, our brand of ball is just one word, and that’s, swarm,” Anderson said of the word the Texans use as a defensive mantra. “That’s it. Swarm when everything else fails, when everything goes south, whatever may happen, good or bad. Everybody just swarming. We’ve been brainwashed in swarm. It’s in everybody’s head. You step on that field, you swarming no matter who you are. I think that’s the beautiful thing about our defense, too. You look at our defense, we got dogs everywhere. Everybody’s an Alpha dog on this defense.”

The Texans have won 14 straight games when they score 20-plus points dating back to 2024. They haven’t given up more than 29 points all season. If C.J. Stroud continues to manage games and the offense avoids catastrophic mistakes, there’s no reason why the Texans can’t go on a lengthy playoff run behind their stout defense.

Houston’s certainly a club nobody wants to face.

“My message to the guys was congratulations to everyone, because you guys earned this,” Ryans said. “Getting into the playoffs is not about an opinion or what somebody thinks. You have to earn your way into the playoffs. And our guys played winning football to get us into position to be in the playoffs.”

Owners of the longest active winning streak in the NFL, the Texans are currently the hottest team in the league. Houston’s going to be a problem for whoever they face in the postseason.  

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.