Just ask the Browns: The Houston Texans are not a team you want to run into right now.
The Texans are awaiting their divisional round opponent after undressing Cleveland on Saturday at NRG Stadium. They’ll face either the Chiefs or Ravens on the road next weekend depending on how Monday’s action shakes out.
Whichever team they face will have a tall task ahead of them. C.J. Stroud on Saturday quelled any concern about rolling with a rookie quarterback in the postseason, and Houston’s defense quickly dashed the Joe Flacco craze.
The upstart Texans have been one of the most exciting teams in the NFL this season. Although the Chiefs or Ravens are a much bigger challenge than the Browns, Houston is proving they can hang around with anyone.
Seth Payne said Monday on Payne & Pendergast that the Texans are now a team no one wants to see.
“They're the hot team. The Texans are the hot team because of C.J. Stroud," Payne said. "Derek Stingley has been a revelation over the last few weeks, and the way he’s playing and the way the Texans defense has been opportunistic, they’re the team you look at and think 'Oh great, this is one we don’t want to catch on the way up. This is the one where all of the sudden it’s a wild card injected at the end of the year.”
The Texans haven’t played the Bills this season, but they did open up the campaign against the Ravens, who smacked Houston 25-9. Should the two sides meet, Baltimore will be facing a Texans team playing far differently than when they last went against each other.