HOUSTON -- The ability to finish in the clutch has saved the Houston Texans' season.
Through the first eight games, all five of their losses came in one-score games -- including an 0-3 start where the losing margin was a total of 13 points. But since Week 9, the Texans (7-5) have turned the tide. Houston has won four straight, all one-possession games, and it's been the defense that has been able to make the one play needed to cement three of those wins.
After a key win over the Indianapolis Colts (8-4) on Sunday, Houston is now one game back in the AFC South -- trailing the Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4). They also sit at No. 8 in the wild-card chase behind the Buffalo Bills (8-4).
"We get on the field, it's time to close out the game," defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said following the win over the Colts. "They make a big play. How are we gonna respond? I think we really pride ourselves on that. When we go on the field, something great is gonna happen because we caused it."
Coach DeMeco Ryans attests the turnaround to the team's determination. Houston has given itself a shot to become the first team to make the playoffs after starting 0-3 since the playoffs expanded to seven teams in 2020.
"We have that true resolve," Ryans said. "No one play is going to get us in a tank and nobody's going down. Everybody understands it's a 60-minute battle each and every time we step out there, and we're playing full 60-minute games now, and that's the difference."
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud doesn't believe games are decided by late-game heroics. He knows it takes a full game to even set up a moment like that.
"It's never just the last drive or last play," Stroud said. "It's always plays before that."
But Houston's defense has been lights out and has helped put them in winning situations.
Since Week 3, Houston has allowed the fewest points (2.7), fourth-lowest QBR (29.6) and eight-lowest passing yards (38.7) while leading in sacks (13) and interceptions (6). That's a major reason why the Texans have allowed the fewest points in the NFL (16.5) and why no team has held opponents to 20 or fewer points as many times (10) as them.
In the Texans' 23-19 win over the Bills in Week 12, Houston sacked Josh Allen eight times, a career high for the Buffalo quarterback. Houston safety Calen Bullock forced three turnovers (two interceptions and a forced fumble), including the game-sealing pick.
In that fourth quarter alone, the Texans sacked Allen four times. Defensive end Danielle Hunter and Anderson have terrorized QBs this season, and they were able to make their mark against the Bills -- combining for 1.5 sacks in the final quarter.
"It comes down to discipline," Hunter told ESPN. "That's the biggest thing. At the beginning of the season, there was one play where one guy would be out of position, whether it be offense, defense or special teams. Football is a game of inches. It's a game of whoever makes the least amount of mistakes, the team that's more disciplined. That's the team that comes out on top."
In the fourth quarter, the defensive end duo are among the best -- with Anderson's 5.5 sacks ranking fourth and Hunter's 6 being tied for second.
But credit goes to backup quarterback Davis Mills too. Mills stepped in for Stroud when he was sidelined with a concussion from Weeks 9 to 12 after Stroud was knocked out of the game against the Denver Broncos. Mills led two game-winning drives in his three starts, including overcoming a 19-point deficit in the second half to defeat the Jaguars 36-29 in Week 10. In that game, Mills had three fourth quarter touchdowns, capped by a 14-yard scoring run with 31 seconds left.
But it was Hunter and Anderson coming up big again in that game, combining for 2.5 sacks in the fourth, and they both took down quarterback Trevor Lawrence on the final drive of the game.
Mills also led a game-winning drive against the Tennessee Titans in their 16-13 win in Week 11. In his three-and-a-half game stint, Mills had six total touchdowns, and the offense averaged 22 points per game.
The game-clinching plays have come from a casts of characters. Whether it's been Mills, Bullock, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. breaking up a pass on fourth down against the Colts, or even defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins returning a fumble for a touchdown on the last play against the Jaguars, the team is finding ways to win.
"Everybody is just finishing -- from special teams, offense to defense," Bullock told ESPN. "Everybody is just going out there believing and doing their job and knowing that their brother is gonna do the job already."
While the Texans would rather win comfortably, they've proved that they can pull out much-needed wins in close games this season. They'll put that to the test when they visit the Kansas City Chiefs (6-6) on Sunday (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC) -- where they'll try to extend their win streak to five against the team that ended their season in January in the divisional round of the playoffs.
