Cause for excitement?

The NFL schedule is heading into the last week of the regular season, and there is still plenty to be decided.

In the NFC, all six playoff teams have been determined, but the seeding is still up in the air and all six teams have a shot at a first-round bye.

In the AFC, the Colts have locked down a first-round bye and home-field advantage for the past couple of weeks, which is really all that matters to a team in the regular season.

Yes, I did disagree with the timing in which many of the starters were taken out of the game against the Jets. Personally, I would have left them in at least until a two-score lead was obtained, but I am just a fan and since I do not run the team, it is not my decision to make. So, I will still continue to support them and hope they take the success they have had to this point in the season and turn it into a deep playoff run.

But enough about the Colts.

The Chargers have sewn up a first-round bye as well, while the Patriots and Bengals have won their divisions, but still have something to play for in the last week as their seedings have not been finalized.

Then you have the traffic jam of teams fighting for the two wild card spots.

The Ravens, Jets, Broncos, Texans and Steelers are all 8-7, while the Dolphins and Jaguars are 7-8, but all seven of these teams still have a shot -- no matter how slim -- at making the playoffs.

If the Ravens and Jets win this weekend, everything else won't matter as they both control their own destiny.

However, if the Raiders and/or Bengals can play spoilers and defeat the Ravens and Jets, respectively, the cauldron of possibilities could boil over.

My hometown Texans helped themselves by beating the Dolphins Sunday, and received some help with the Broncos and Jaguars losing. While the Steelers defeat of the Ravens did not directly help the Texans' cause, it did open more possibilities.

For the Texans to reach the playoffs for the first time ever, they would have to defeat the Patriots at home this weekend, then have extra help with two other teams losing (Jets, Ravens, Broncos).

At first glance, the hopes seem dim for the Texans as the Pats still have that third seed they are jockeying for and the Raiders (against the Ravens) and Chiefs (against the Broncos) are two of the worst teams in the league.

But then again, the Raiders have defeated the Eagles, Steelers, Bengals, and Broncos this year, so they could play spoiler. The Chiefs have also beat the Steelers, but lost 44-13 to the Broncos earlier this year. However, they have been more consistent lately and you never know what may happen in the Chiefs-Broncos rivalry, or if Denver will show up to play to the level they are capable of.

If one of those upsets happen, I'd say the Texans' chances improve greatly as the Jets could have a hard time taking down the Bengals in the final game of the regular season, which is slated to begin 8:20 p.m., Sunday night.

But whatever the outcome may be, it will make for one exciting weekend of football.

P.S. Enjoy the Texans-Pats game Dad.