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With their final seeding still up in the air at the time inactives were announced, the Houston Texans have kept both quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins active for their Week 17 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. While their two biggest superstars will be available, several of the Texans’ starters will not dress for the game.
Today's #Texans inactives vs. Tennessee:#TENvsHOU pic.twitter.com/IKoXL6SoQH
— Texans PR (@TexansPR) December 29, 2019
The reason the Texans’ active players are of importance to the Pittsburgh Steelers is due to the fact the Steelers need help in order to make the 2019 postseason. Should the Tennessee Titans defeat the Houston Texans, the Steelers will have been eliminated from playoff contention.
By the time the Texans kick off in Houston against the Titans, they will know if they have anything to play for to change their seeding for the postseason. Should the Kansas City Chiefs hold on and defeat the Los Angeles Chargers, the Texans will be locked into the fourth seed and will have nothing to play for against the Titans.
Texans’ head coach Bill O’Brien stated earlier in the week that he was playing to win the game in Week 17 and did not plan to rest players. But with several key pieces to the Texans being on the injury report all week, it is not surprising that any player dealing with even a minor injury would sit out in what will most likely be a meaningless game.
The Houston #Texans Friday Injury Report & Game Status Report for Week 17 vs. the Tennessee Titans: pic.twitter.com/rSiKnUhvIC
— Texans PR (@TexansPR) December 27, 2019
It has become the second straight season where the Pittsburgh Steelers will have to get help in order to make the playoffs. While there is a scenario where the Steelers could still lose and make the postseason, nothing that happens against the Ravens will matter if the Titans are victorious.
Stay tuned to Behind The Steel Curtain for breaking news, injury reports, and all things Pittsburgh Steelers.