With each victory, the Houston Texans increasin

EAST RUTHERFORD Greg Mancz Color Rush Jersey , N.J. (AP) —gly established themselves as a team to beat in the AFC.Their nine-game winning streak set a franchise record and also raised expectations by the week. So, perhaps their 24-21 loss to Indianapolis last Sunday could, in some way, alleviate some building tension down the stretch.Right, Deshaun Watson?“You only put pressure on yourself,” Watson said. “For us, we don’t really put pressure on ourselves. We don’t really focus on that. Of course, we didn’t want to lose. We always want to win and try to continue to stack those, but it just kind of goes that way sometimes. It’s the National Football League.“We just try to focus on the next opponent, the next game and try to get back in the win column.”Watson and the Texans (9-4) will get their chance to do that Saturday when they take on Sam Darnold and the struggling New York Jets (4-9).Houston could clinch the AFC South title with a win and then a loss or tie by both Indianapolis and Tennessee on Sunday, or with a tie and losses by both the Colts and Titans. The Texans could also seal a playoff berth with a combination of other scenarios involving several other teams.Either way, they know they can set themselves up nicely with a victory at MetLife Stadium.“With three games left throughout the regular season, I think you home in and focus in,” cornerback Johnathan Joseph said, “especially on one game at a time, 12 quarters of football, however it has to be.”Meanwhile, the Jets are just focused on the finish line — and perhaps the end of coach Todd Bowles’ tenure. New York snapped a six-game skid last Sunday with a 27-23 win at Buffalo, but it would appear Bowles will not be back next season after four years without a trip to the playoffs. General manager Mike Maccagnan is not a certainty to return, either, with some misses in the draft and free agency during his tenure.“It’s the same thing every week: We want to win every game, regardless of whether we’re going to the playoffs or not,” Bowles said. “We want to get every game and get better as a team. That’s all we’re trying to accomplish.”Here are some things to know about the Texans-Jets matchup:WET WEATHERIt’s expected to rain for much of the day, with showers at kickoff. That will be something different for the Texans Keke Coutee Color Rush Jersey , whose home stadium — NRG Stadium — features a retractable roof.“You’ve just got to go out there and try to grip the ball as best you can,” said Watson, playing at MetLife for the first time. “You focus on your footwork a little bit more, be cautious with that and understand that the receivers might — depending on the turf or the grass, wherever we’re playing — (focus on) their footwork. … You’ve got to just go play ball.”SAM’S CLUB Darnold returned from a strained foot that sidelined him for three games and went 24 of 30 passing (80.0 percent) in the win against the Bills. It marked the fifth time in team history a player had a completion percentage of 80 or better and the first since Chad Pennington did it twice in 2007.He also showed off some cool nerves by leading his first fourth-quarter comeback.“I think every experience for him, he’s so into it,” offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates said. “He doesn’t get real high, doesn’t get real low, he just takes every moment as a learning moment, both good and bad. So, I think it’s just another moment that he’s going to take for the rest of his career, for the rest of his life and use it as a teaching experience.”MISSING WEAPONSDarnold will be without two key playmakers on offense with top running back Isaiah Crowell (toe) and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa (ankle) both ruled out with injuries.Elijah McGuire and rookie Trenton Cannon will see increased opportunities in the backfield, while Rishard Matthews and Deontay Burnett could be called on to replace Enunwa.WATT’S UPHouston’s J.J. Watt has bounced back this year to have another strong season after playing just eight games over the previous two years because of a back surgery and a broken leg.The defensive end leads the team with 12 1/2 sacks, 22 quarterback hits, 15 tackles for losses and a career-high five forced fumbles. His 88 1/2 career sacks are the second most through a player’s first 101 games, trailing only the 106 that Reggie White had.“The last two years were extremely difficult,” he said. “But, to be here, to be playing meaningful football in December, playing in big games in winter time and me being out there on the field participating in those games, is awesome. This is just, it feels good to be back in that situation, to be back on the field, to be getting the sacks, to be playing good football Zach Cunningham Color Rush Jersey , to be with the guys.”TAKING CARE OF THE BALLThe Texans did not turn the ball over last week, marking the sixth time this season that they’ve had zero turnovers in a game.It’s the second-best streak in a season in franchise history. A big reason: Watson has thrown just two interceptions in the last seven games after being picked off seven times in the first six games. Heading into last week, all the Texans needed was a loss by the Tennessee Titans and a win or tie of their own against the Indianapolis Colts to secure their fifth AFC South Division crown. Some people were even speculating that Houston could jump into the #2 seed in the AFC playoff race – something that seemed nearly unthinkable at the end of the 0-3 start to the season. Fans’ hopes rose. The national media actually paid attention to the Texans.Most of us started to pick up what Houston was putting down. Then the train jumped the tracks. The Jaguars’ “all-star” defense coughed up a record setting rushing attack to the Titans, embarrassing themselves and anyone who had any faith in their team, on national television. Things got a little tougher. Now the Texans had to beat the Colts and then simply win one more game to clinch the division and a playoff berth. Out came the injury report, with holes in the offensive line, wide receiver corps, and question marks all over the place. Pretty soon we were forced to stare in disbelief as a third string quarterback lined up as WR3, the offensive line went back to looking like it did during the 0-3 start, and the Texans’ defense appeared to sleepwalk their way through a game like a senior citizen newly arrived at a retirement community. While it’s hard to find video proof, it seemed like J.J. Watt was playing with the flu or some other malady that kept him from going 100%. The same can be said of a few other key players as well. Houston seemed to fall back into place where they “belonged” with the also-rans. But if there’s anything truly different about the 2018 Houston Texans from the teams of years past, it’s their resiliency. Take a look at the Texans’ last game against the Titans. Houston quickly went down 10-0 and looked as if they were going to get pantsed by the hated “Not-The-Oilers”. Instead of giving up or taking a victim mentality through the rest of the game, the Texans rose up and smashed the Titans 34-17. This coming week, the Jets are on the menu. While Houston has one less day to prepare thanks to the Saturday afternoon kickoff, the Jets are ripe for the type of beatdown the Texans put on the Titans in the second through fourth quarters of the aforementioned game on Monday Night FootballWith Houston focused on a seemingly unexpected high-seeded playoff berth, the Jets are aspiring to secure the first pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Should Houston win this week and both the Colts and Titans lose, Houston will clinch the division. If Houston can win out and the New England Patriots drop one of their last three games, Houston can still lock up the #2 seed in the AFC. The current most likely scenario: Houston will still roll into the playoffs in the #3 seed, play on Wild Card Weekend, and face either the San Diego Chargers or Baltimore Ravens. Both are much tougher opponents than the Colts. Still, seeing Lamar Jackson face Deshaun Watson in the playoffs should make for some serious fireworks. Either way, it’s time to turn the page and face the Jets. What do you think is going to happen? Will Houston clinch the AFC South this week and be able to rest some players or will it come down to Week 17 heroics? Lay out your playoff predictions in the comments section.