Observed and heard around the Texans' locker room after their 23-17 victory over the Jaguars:
Players were kept in the dark about scores from across the league during the game. Quarterback Case Keenum asked someone in the tunnel if the Texans had made the playoffs. They came close; they needed the Chiefs and Browns to win. Despite leading in the fourth quarter, the Browns lost 20-10. "Normally, you're excited after a win," Keenum said. "Today was bitter. ... I've never felt this bad after a win. It's a sick feeling."
Five or six defensive starters (depending how you count starters) face expiring contracts once the league year ends. On a unit that began playing like a great defense, they are eager to return and pick up where they left off. "The camaraderie, how we're all on the same page, how we're clicking in all phases," safety Kendrick Lewis said. "It's just a blessing and a good feeling to see that all come together after a long season. I would love to see this defense come back." Lewis, cornerback Kareem Jackson, safety Danieal Manning, nose tackle Ryan Pickett, inside linebacker Akeem Dent and outside linebacker Brooks Reed are at the end of their contracts. Dent, Lewis, Manning and Pickett each had one-year deals.
The Texans' future at quarterback is uncertain. Coach Bill O'Brien addressed it after the game: "Are we going to draft a quarterback? Are we looking at a quarterback in free agency? Is there a quarterback that we have here now on our roster? Is he the quarterback? These are all discussions that we haven't had yet because we've been concentrating on trying to win games. I think you'll see soon enough what our plan is there."
