Three wins in the final six regular-season games led the Houston Texans to a home playoff game nonetheless.
As they prepare to face the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC wild-card round on Saturday, the fourth-seeded Texans realize the urgency ramps up in January and beyond. That especially rings true against a fifth-seeded Chargers team that boasts the NFL's top-ranked scoring defense.
"If you get hot as an offense, especially around this time of year, that's a really good thing for your team and your organization," Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said.
Assured of their second consecutive AFC South crown, the Texans opted to rest several key contributors in the regular-season finale on the heels of a 31-2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day.