How Far Can T.J. Yates Take Houston Texans in 2011 NFL Playoffs?

T.J. Yates led an injury-depleted Houston Texans team to a gritty win over the playoff hopeful Cincinnati Bengals. The Texans have had a bizarre season thus far. 

While they have been riddled with injuries to some of their best players all season long, they have persevered and are all set to make their first playoff appearance in franchise history.

The key to the Texans success has been their collective ability to plug in players all across their starting lineup and not skip a beat. Their go-ahead score against the Bengals today was a perfect snapshot. 

Yates, playing for an injured Matt Schaub, completed a touchdown pass over the middle to Kevin Walter, who has stepped up in Andre Johnson’s absence this season.

So the question becomes, how far can the Texans, directed by T.J Yates, make it in the playoffs this season? The answer lies in the matchups that they could conceivably see in January.

As it currently stands, the Texans are in line for a first-round bye as one of the two best division winners in the AFC. That means that they will face a team that has more momentum than they will have coming off of a bye. 

If the Texans end up as the No. 2 seed, they could face the Pittsburgh Steelers again, which would be a nightmare matchup for the team in their first playoff experience.

However, if the Texans can take the No. 1 seed and face either a lesser wild-card team or the AFC West winner, they could very much be a threat to make the conference finals or beyond.

The Texans, given their current personnel, are a throwback team, with a stronger run game a stingy defense. While they won’t be winning with any flash, they are still good enough to grind a soft team down, keep the score line in the teens and scrape out wins. They are exactly the kind of team that is built to overcome sketchy or unimpressive QB play. 

The Texans are finally making it to the playoffs, after years of prophesies of their impending breakthrough failed to materialize. Even without some of their most prized talent, they are a legitimate threat to win a game or two in January.