The Houston Texans (10-5) face the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium tomorrow afternoon with a chance to cause havoc in the AFC playoff picture. With a win, they would stay in the running to land anywhere from the second seed to the seventh seed at season's end. With a loss, they would virtually guarantee themselves roughly a month-long road trip as the seventh seed if they have any hopes of reaching their first Super Bowl in franchise history. 

How would that path start, though? Which teams could Houston possible face in the first round? Here are three scenarios if the Texans finish anywhere from 5th-7th in the AFC:

New England Patriots (#2 Seed Vs. #7 Seed)

First-year head coach Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots (12-3) have completely righted the ship in Foxborough. They've gone from four wins last season to their first 10+ win season and AFC playoff berth since 2021's campaign (they last won 12+ games in 2019). 

Quarterback Drake Maye leads the offense, having passed for 3,947 yards (fourth in the NFL), 25 touchdowns (fifth most in the NFL), eight interceptions (T-seventh most in the NFL) and a 108.5 passer rating (second in the NFL). 

Following him comes the Patriots' defense, which ranks seventh best in the NFL in total yards allowed with 302.1. They also rank seventh in points allowed per game with 20. 

This matchup may seem daunting on paper until we take a closer look at the Patriots' strength of schedule for the regular season. They have the 32nd-ranked mark, meaning they've played the easiest schedule through 15 games in the entire league. That could be problematic for the Patriots. 

On the other hand, the Texans have played the ninth-hardest schedule in the NFL. While doing so, they've still managed to maintain the #1 overall defense and a 19th-ranked scoring offense.

They also have an urgency and intensity that's been built up from playing 12 weeks of "must-win" football just to sneak into the backdoor of the playoffs after beginning the year 0-3. 

After conquering six playoffs teams en route to their 10+ wins, the Texans could definitely benefit from this matchup in the Wildcard round. 

Jacksonville Jaguars (#3 Seed Vs. #6 Seed)

We've already seen the first two rounds of this AFC South matchup, with both teams winning a game from the other. In week three, Jacksonville (11-4) took round one with in a sloppy 17-10 victory vs. Houston at home EverBank Stadium. In week 10, the Texans overcame a 29-10 4th quarter deficit with backup quarterback Davis Mills to secure the win and officially split the season series. 

Since then, neither team has lost a single game (winning streaks: Texans: seven, Jaguars: six). 

If the Texans were to find a way into the sixth seed, a third matchup vs. the Jaguars would be on the horizon. In the All-time series, Houston leads Jacksonville by a margin of 32-16. They have also won five of the last eight. However, the two franchises have never met in the AFC playoffs. 

Thus, a brand new chapter to the long running AFC South story could be written. 

With the Jaguars being arguably the league's hottest team, especially after beating the 13-win Denver Broncos on the road this past Sunday, the Texans would have their hands full with this scenario. 

Pittsburgh Steelers (#4 Seed Vs. #5 Seed)

Probably the best opponent for the Wildcard round, the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) would enter this contest after presumably winning a dogfight with the Baltimore Ravens (7-8) for the AFC North crown.

The AFC North has been the weakest division in the AFC this season, so it's not like the Steelers have been world-beaters. Their nine wins after 15 weeks would have them as the seventh seed if the NFL playoffs were formatted as just the seven best records in order. 

Seeing as though it's not, the Texans and the Steelers would be facing off in Acrisure Stadium if Houston found its way to the fifth seed. 

Matchup-wise, the Steelers would enter the playoffs with a defense ranked 28th in yards per game (363.1) and 17th in points allowed per game (23.3). Those two marks make them the worst defense remaining in the AFC playoffs (They also have a 42 year old Aaron Rodgers at quarterback who would have to contend with the best pass-rushing tandem in the NFL in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter).

This would definitely be advantageous for the Texans, especially in the midst of offensive coordinator Nick Caley's debut in the postseason. 

Who do you think is the best matchup for the Texans in the AFC Wildcard round? Let us know in the comments section below and on our official X account, @Texans_RTB!