As you probably know, the Houston Texans will be taking part in their 2023 regular season finale this Saturday in Indianapolis, and the stakes are absolutely huge. The winner of this game between the Texans and Colts clutches a playoff spot, and depending on what happens Sunday in the Jaguars-Titans game, perhaps a division crown.

If this feels like unfamiliar territory for you, the Houston Texan fan, then it's probably for one (or both) of two reasons. First, it's been four years since the Texans have been remotely near a playoff conversation, a four year period that has felt like 40 years. Second, the "winner take all" nature of a de facto playoff game has never happened in Texans regular season history.

You would think over the course of two decades that the Texans, at least one time, would play a regular season finale with major stakes, against an opponent with similar or identical stakes, but it hasn't really come close to happening. The Texans' six playoff berths in team history have been clinched, for the most part, in a drama-bereft fashion.

Here is a summary of all six clinching scenarios in team history, with my personal "drama rating" for each one:

Week 14, 2011 — Texans 20, Bengals 19 (BOX SCORE)
This was the Texans' first ever playoff berth, in a season where they fielded the most talented roster in team history. The only glitch was their losing starting QB Matt Schaub in Week 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a season-ending foot injury. After losing backup Matt Leinart in the first half of the next game, rookie T.J. Yates took over, and led the Texans to a couple wins, including the division clincher in Cincinnati. The division title was clinched early, but the manner in which the Texans did so remains a legendary moment.

DRAMA RATING (1 to 10): 8.3

Week 13, 2012 — Texans 24, Titans 10 (BOX SCORE)
This division clinching had the least drama of any in team history. The Texans began this season 11-1, and had the division sewn up shortly after Thanksgiving. This season's stretch run will be remembered more for the Texans losing three of their final four games, including the disgraceful "letterman jacket" loss in New England. The Texans had a first round bye firmly in their grasp and just blew it.

DRAMA RATING (1 to 10): 0.4

Week 17, 2015 — Texans 30, Jaguars 6 (BOX SCORE)
This is the only season, until 2023, where the Texans truly took the field in the final week with their playoff lives hanging in the balance, so that unto itself is some serious drama. However, the blowout nature of the clincher, plus the fact that the Texans fans just didn't really believe in a Bill O'Brien-coached, Brian Hoyer-quarterbacked version, meant the drama factor was tamped down a bit. Still, a season finale clincher is fun!

DRAMA RATING (1 to 10): 6.7

Week 16, 2016 — Texans 12, Bengals 10 (BOX SCORE)
This game took place on Christmas Eve of 2016, and the drama surrounding this game was more about the Texans' quarterback position than it was the outcome of the game. Incumbent starter (and overpaid stiff) Brock Osweiler had been benched the week before, to resounding cheers, in a comeback win over Jacksonville. Backup Tom Savage took over, and was able to engineer the division clincher. A missed field goal by former Texans kicker Randy Bullock sealed the win. Unfortunately for Savage (and probably Texan fans), he got knocked out in Week 17 against the Titans, in a meaningless game, and Osweiler was back in our lives.

DRAMA RATING (1 to 10): 7.8

Week 16, 2018
Why is there no game score or link to a box score here? Well, it's because the Texans clinched their playoff spot in this season on a day where they actually LOST to the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles, 32-30. Later that day, though, the Saints beat the Steelers, sending the Texans back to the postseason after a one season hiatus. The Texans would clinch the division a week later.

DRAMA RATING (1 to 10): 0.2

Week 16, 2019 — Texans 23, Buccaneers 20 (BOX SCORE)
This was a Week 16 game in Tampa Bay, in which Jameis Winston threw two interceptions early in the game, and the Texans were able to steer the ship to shore and clinch the AFC South, allowing them to rest all their important players in Week 17. This was relatively drama free.

DRAMA RATING (1 to 10): 3.6

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