Texans Triumph: From Worst to First, Clinch AFC South Title and Wild Card Showdown Against Cleveland

The Texans capped off an impressive turnaround season by securing the AFC South title after Jacksonville's 28-20 loss to Tennessee. They will now host Cleveland in the upcoming wild card round. Led by rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback C.J. Stroud, Houston went from the bottom in 2022 to a 10-7 record in 2024.

Both the Texans and Cleveland have made a remarkable leap from last place in 2022 to playoff contenders in 2023. This trend aligns with the NFL's history, where, in 25 of the past 28 seasons since 1996, at least one team has reached the playoffs after finishing last or tied for last place.

Notably, Houston and Cleveland are among the four teams making the postseason after missing out the previous year, marking the 34th consecutive year of at least four new playoff teams in the NFL. Despite a Week 16 loss to the Browns with a score of 36-22, it's worth noting that Stroud was absent from the game due to concussion protocol.

Cleveland dominated the AFC South in 2023, boasting a 4-0 record against teams like Jacksonville, Tennessee, Houston, and Indianapolis. Stay tuned for the release of next week's wild card matchups schedule later on Sunday.