The Houston Texans' march through the playoffs now has a schedule slot — Saturday, January 20th, at 3:30 p.m. CT on ESPN and ABC. However, their opponent remains a mystery for now, dangling between two formidable powers of the AFC, namely the Kansas City Chiefs or the Baltimore Ravens. The deciding factor hinges on the outcome of Monday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.
An underdog upset by the Steelers would send the Texans to Arrowhead Stadium, while a Bills triumph would cue a face-off with the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Owing to a first-round bye, Baltimore, guided by MVP candidate Lamar Jackson is fresh and ready to roll, while the Chiefs carry momentum from their 26-7 victory over the Dolphins on their home turf, as detailed by Sports Illustrated.
Nonetheless, there's no minimizing the Texans who are basking in the afterglow of a 45-14 wild-card round demolition of the Cleveland Browns. Their quarterback, C.J. Stroud emerged as a star, throwing for 274 yards and three touchdowns. The Houston defense was a wall of steel with two pick-sixes, putting a full stop to any Browns' comeback dreams. "We're playing our best ball as of right now these last two weeks, last three weeks really, and that's really what you want," Stroud told Sports Illustrated in a display of quiet confidence.
All eyes are on the rookie, who drew parallels with Dak Prescott and Brock Purdy, for his exceptional playoff performance. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans didn't mince words describing his quarterback's influence: "C.J. is the reason why we're in this position," he extolled, according to a Sports Illustrated interview. "He's a special young man and special player, and continues to shine. No matter how big the moment is, our whole team is leaning on him, and he has the shoulders to carry the weight." In the robust victory against the Browns, the Texans’ offense glistened as Tunsil kept the formidable Myles Garrett at bay, protecting his quarterback to the hilt.
For Texans fans, it's a tantalizing wait. But whether they jet off to Kansas City or Baltimore, the Texans, who haven't taken their foot off the gas since December, are clearly intent on running full throttle into the AFC Championship game.
