'First place Texans'.
It sounds strange to say it, and looks strange reading it.
But it's reality now that Houston and Indianapolis both have 3-5 records.
Those two squads are both below .500 but atop the AFC South, and the Texans have a lot of hope for better things to come in the second half of 2015.
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"For us, it's about the division at the end of the day because that's the only way you can get into the playoffs," cornerback Johnathan Joseph said. "Right now we're sitting at the top but we have to continue to play better and play well also just to stay there."
A Texans win last Sunday over the Titans, coupled with a Monday night loss by the Colts in Charlotte, equalized the two teams' records. Indianapolis has taken the last two division crowns, and the Texans are after the title in 2015.
"We've got to take advantage of our opportunities," wide receiver Cecil Shorts, III said on Tuesday. "We sat in meetings today and went over some corrections and things we can work on, so we didn't play our best the first half of the season but to still be in this position, it's a blessing so we want to take advantage of it."
Shorts and the Texans won't play this Sunday, as they're off in Week 9. But a week from Monday they'll face the Bengals in Cincinnati. They've maintained that instead of looking at it as an 8-game season, they're breaking it into smaller increments.
"We have a chance to go out there in the second half of the season, look at it as a new season," defensive end J.J. Watt said. "A season of one-game seasons, like we've always talked about, and go out there and control what we can control and see what happens."
The players have Thursday through Sunday off, and will return to practice on Monday. The bye will get taken advantage of, according to quarterback Brian Hoyer.
"Get people healthy, get people going, and realize we have a whole new season coming ahead of us and really we just got to go out and keep getting better and execute and do our job," Hoyer said. "It's not about anyone else. It's about us."
The Colts host the undefeated Denver Broncos this Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Houston Texans roster in photos.
DL Mario Addison, #56 (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
QB, Kyle Allen, #3
RB, Darius Anderson, #30
DB, Grayland Arnold, #35
TE, Antony Auclair, #83
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
DL, Thomas Booker, #96
OL, Justin Britt, #68
DB, Terrence Brooks, #8
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
WR, Jalen Camp, #17
OL, A.J. Cann, #60
LB, Blake Cashman, #53
DL, Maliek Collins, #97
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Chris Conley, #18
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
WR, Davion Davis, #14
LB, Tae Davis, #19
OL, Austin Deculus, #76
WR, Phillip Dorsett, #4
QB, Jeff Driskel, #6
DL, Michael Dwumfour, #98
WR, Drew Estrada, #81
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
DB, Jacobi Francis, #38
RB, Royce Freeman, #26
OL, Carson Green, #62
DL, Jonathan Greenard, #52
WR, DaeSean Hamilton, #5
OL, Kenyon Green, #59
DL, Rasheem Green (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
LB, Christian Harris, #48
DL, Demone Harris, #94
WR, Damon Hazelton, #86
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
QB, Kevin Hogan, #16 (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
DL, Jerry Hughes, #55 (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
FB, Andy Janovich, #41
An image from the Aug. 21, 2021 Houston Texans preseason game 2 against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The Texans won 20-14.
WR, Johnny Johnson III, #89
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
LB, Christian Kirksey, #58
DL, Roy Lopez, #91
RB, Marlon Mack, #2
DB, Tristin McCollum, #39
OL, Justin McCray, #64
WR, John Metchie III, #88
QB, Davis Mills, #10
WR, Chris Moore, #15
DB, Jimmy Moreland, #22
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
DB, Steven Nelson (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
DB, Steven Nelson, #21
DL, Adedayo Odeleye, #75
OL, Cedric Ogbuehi, #77
RB, Dare Ogunbowale, #33
DL, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, #45
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Dameon Pierce, #31
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis, #57
DB, Jalen Pitre, #42
FB, Paul Quessenberry, #45
OL, Scott Quessenberry, #54
TE, Teagan Quitoriano, #84
LB, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, #34 (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)
DL, Derek Rivers, #95
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Kendall Sheffield (AP Photo/Kevin Sabitus)
DB, Tremon Smith, #24
OL, Jordan Steckler, #70
DB, M.J. Stewart, #29
DB, Derek Stingley Jr., #24
DB, Tavierre Thomas, #37
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
WR, Connor Wedington (AP)
LS, Jon Weeks #46
DB, Isaac Yiadom, #20
