What happens if Texans lose today against Chargers in 2025 NFL Week 17?

The NFL regular season is slowly entering its most decisive stretch, with several teams still battling for a spot in the upcoming playoffs. The Houston Texans are among them, and to keep their postseason hopes alive, they will need to come away with a win from their visit to SoFi Stadium against the Los Angeles Chargers.

C.J. Stroud has guided his team into Week 17 with a 10–5 record, currently sitting in second place in the AFC South behind the Jaguars. Texans’ most recent outing was a narrow home victory over the Raiders.

The Chargers, meanwhile, have already secured their spot in the Wild Card Round, thanks to their current 11–4 record. Ahead of this matchup, Justin Herbert made a strong confession regarding the most recent postseason meeting between the two franchises: “It was one of those things that you continue to think about.”

What happens if Texans lose today against Chargers?

If the Texans lose today against the Chargers, their record would drop to 10–6, and their chances of earning a playoff berth would fall to 93%. Currently, according to the NFL’s official website, their playoff probability stands at 97%, and a win would boost that figure to 99%.

C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans hands the ball to Nick Chubb.

Final tests ahead for Houston

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CJ Stroud sends strong warning to the rest of the NFL ahead of upcoming Texans games

The Houston Texans are entering a critical stretch as they look to solidify their playoff standing. They face the Los Angeles Chargers on the road today, December 27th, at SoFi Stadium, followed by a regular-season finale at home against the Indianapolis Colts on January 4th. These final two games will be decisive in determining their seeding and momentum heading into the postseason.

AFC playoff teams

The battle for the AFC’s top seed has reached its peak, with the Denver Broncos (13-3) currently holding the edge over the New England Patriots (12-3) for the coveted first-round bye.

Alongside them, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, and Buffalo Bills have already secured their postseason berths, leaving the final seeding to be decided in these last crucial matchups of the regular season.