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How to Read this Chart

If any player name listed in the chart below is italicized, a team's grade will be expressed as a range instead of a single definite number. Italics indicate I have doubts about whether that player actually justifies inclusion within whatever category he's being associated with. Credible cases can be made for and against that player with respect to the criterion of the particular category where his name has been listed.
If a team's grade is expressed as a range, that range represents the worst-case scenario and best-case scenario. In the worst-case scenario, NO italicized player will be included in the scoring. In the best-case scenario, ALL italicized players will be included in the scoring.
Quarterbacks are evaluated either as a liability, adequate, or elite. The "adequate" label implies some measure of competence whereas the "liability" label implies that the quarterback is unable to play dropback football with any degree of competency.
Premiere Offensive Weapons are defined as high-performing skill players who add dimensionality on offense. The more ways a team can matriculate the ball downfield, the more names you will likely see listed here.
Elite Defensive Linemen are defined as truly dominant defensive linemen who can consistently control the line of scrimmage and consistently create havoc in the offensive backfield. Consistency of production is the main criteria used to evaluate pass rushers. Sacks, quarterback hits, tackles, batted passes, and turnovers are also considered here when assessing whether a given lineman can be considered elite.
Elite Coverage Defenders are defined as elite defensive backs or inside linebackers who excel at their particular role. Linebackers needs to show range in the flat, be able to cover flat receivers, and show up consistently in run support. Safeties need to show range and engineer turnover opportunities. Cornerbacks have to demonstrate an ability to shutdown most receivers that line up opposite them. It would also help if any of these coverage defenders have a knack for rushing the passer.
A successful comeback is defined as a game where a team mounted a scoring drive beginning in the fourth quarter to retake the lead and win the game OR a game where a team rallied back from a double-digit scoring deficit to eventually win the game.
Home field advantage is self-explanatory. In any postseason game between two teams from the same conference, the higher seed will always have home field advantage.

Houston Texans
Passer Evaluation	C.J. Stroud (Adequate)
Premiere Offensive Weapons 1 point for the first player 2 points for the second player 4 points for each successive player	Nico Collins Joe Mixon
Elite Defensive Linemen 4 points per player	Danielle Hunter Will Anderson Jr. Denico Autry
Elite Coverage Defenders 2 points per player	Derek Stingley Jr. Kamari Lassiter
Number of Successful Comebacks 2 points if the team successfully staged exactly 2 comebacks 3 points if the team staged more than 2 comebacks	1
Number of Comebacks Surrendered 2 points if the team surrendered exactly 2 comebacks 3 points if the team surrendered fewer than 2 comebacks	3
Tactical Edges Lost Only impacts a team's grade when that team is facing against another club listed here. The more teams listed here, the worse a team's odds of advancing	OffenseDefense
Tactical Edges Gained Only impacts a team's grade when that team is facing against another club listed here. The more teams listed here, the better a team's odds of advancing	OffenseDefense Chiefs Ravens Chiefs Ravens
GRADE	11 - 19

Houston really disappointed relative to their pre-season expectations, didn't they? Of course, it's respectable that they made the playoffs yet again for the second year in a row under new head coach DeMeco Ryans, so credit to them for that. But the AFC South blessed them with an easy roadmap to the postseason given all the other teams in their division had major issues holding them back - Jacksonville and Tennessee are easily two of the worst teams in the league while Indianapolis couldn't complete half its passes with Anthony Richardson helming the offense. So here we are with the Texans as the obligatory division winner and the fourth seed in the AFC.

It's possible they could win their game in the wild-card round given their competition's missing quite a bit of talent and and the quality of their offensive coaching is suspect. But Houston is not built to advance far into the postseason, not with that lackluster offense. Had Tank Dell been present and another skill player emerged as a dependable vector in the passing game, we are singing a different song here. But that's not the case. Defensively, one can argue just enough horses are there, but lower seeds need to present competency on both sides of the ball to advance far into the playoffs.

That being said, I have a question burning at me here - is Danielle Hunter an elite pass rusher. All the advanced metrics have vouched for him, but the tape tells me a different story. I see a pass rusher blissfully occupied by double-teams and unwilling to commit to stunts. We shall see.

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