The Houston Texans are heading to the playoffs for the second straight year.

Houston clinched an AFC South title on Sunday with a loss by the Indianapolis Colts. Here is a look at where C.J. Stroud and Co. slide into the current standings and postseason picture:

AFC Standings

Division Leaders

1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1) - clinched AFC West

2. Buffalo Bills (11-3) - clinched AFC East

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) - clinched playoff berth

4. Houston Texans (9-5) - clinched AFC South

Wild-Card Race

5. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)

6. Denver Broncos (9-5)

7. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)

8. Indianapolis Colts (6-8)

9. Miami Dolphins (6-8)

10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)

11. New York Jets (4-10) - eliminated

12. Cleveland Browns (3-11) - eliminated

13. New England Patriots (3-11) - eliminated

14. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11) - eliminated

15. Tennessee Titans (3-11) - eliminated

16. Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) - eliminated

NFC Standings

Division Leaders

1. Detroit Lions (12-2) - clinched playoff berth

2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) - clinched playoff berth

3. Seattle Seahawks (8-5)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6)

Wild-Card Race

5. Minnesota Vikings (11-2)

6. Green Bay Packers (9-4)

7. Washington Commanders (9-5)

8. Los Angeles Rams (8-6)

9. Arizona Cardinals (7-7)

10. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)

11. San Francisco 49ers (6-8)

12. Dallas Cowboys (6-8)

13. New Orleans Saints (5-9)

14. Chicago Bears (4-9) - eliminated

15. Carolina Panthers (3-11) - eliminated

16. New York Giants (2-12) - eliminated

Expectations were sky-high for the Texans coming into the season.

After all, they won the AFC South and then defeated the Cleveland Browns in a playoff game during the 2023 campaign when Stroud was a rookie. It was reasonable to expect the quarterback to make a jump in his second year, especially after Houston traded for Stefon Diggs this offseason.

However, Diggs played just eight games in 2024 before he was lost for the season to a torn ACL. Star wide receiver Nico Collins also missed time because of a hamstring injury.

That meant the potentially dominant trio of pass-catchers in Collins, Diggs and Tank Dell never got a chance to build full momentum as the season progressed.

Of perhaps more concern was the offensive line, which dealt with injuries and poor play for much of the season. That put even more pressure on Stroud when he would drop back to pass, and the Ohio State product hasn't quite made that massive leap in his second season as a result.

Through 14 games, Stroud has completed 63.6 percent of his passes for 3,248 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions after completing 63.9 percent of his passes for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions as the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023.

To the Texans' credit, they found a way to battle through injuries and inconsistent play to put themselves in playoff positioning.

Playing in the AFC South has certainly helped, as they are the only team above .500 in the division and swept their season series against the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars. That allowed them to clinch a playoff spot when they did, and they can turn their attention toward the top of the AFC and challengers for the Super Bowl.

Navigating a postseason field that will feature the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers and others will be anything but easy, but Houston is a dangerous opponent for whichever team it faces.

After all, Stroud, Collins, Dell and Joe Mixon is an impressive collection of offensive skill players even without Diggs, and the combination of pass-rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter can make life particularly difficult for opposing quarterbacks.

That could be a successful formula in the playoffs, which is exactly where the Texans are heading.