Inside the Texans' locker room, panic and hysteria aren't the watchwords.
Despite being mired in a two-game losing streak and clinging to a half-game lead in the AFC South following a 21-13 defeat Sunday to the San Diego Chargers that represented the Texans' first loss at NRG Stadium this season, outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus emphasized a sense of calm surrounding the 6-5 franchise.
"Man, everybody is panicking," Mercilus said of the reaction to the Texans' late-season slide. "I don't understand why. We're still at the top of our division. The thing is, we control our own destiny.