Congratulations to the Texans, who have clinched the first playoff berth in franchise history. With three weeks left in the season, there are still eight playoff spots up for grabs. And three teams – the Patriots, Ravens and Steelers – all have a chance to officially join the party this weekend.

Some casual observers might view Thursday night’s matchup between the Browns and Steelers, on paper, as a lopsided affair.

With four weeks left in the season, there are still six division crowns and 10 total playoff spots up for grabs. Congratulations to the Packers and 49ers, who have clinched the NFC North and West, respectively. Meanwhile, here’s a look at what can happen this week.

In the final week of the fantasy regular season, a faux pas can mean the end of your year. We highlight some of the best from Week 13 in the Fantasy Faux Pas blog.

NFL Network’s second-half schedule of Thursday night games kicks off at 8 p.m. ET with an important divisional showdown, as Carson Palmer’s Oakland Raiders battle Philip Rivers’ San Diego Chargers for first place in the AFC West.

Terrell Suggs owns Ben Roethlisberger’s ass, ladies and gentlemen. And he keeps it in his refrigerator.

On Wednesday, we looked at how the division leaders stack up in terms of total defense. So today we decided to see how the eight first-place teams stack up when you take into account their overall ranking for both total offense and total defense. One thing to note is that there isn’t a great deal of balance among these teams. and only two of the division leaders — the Steelers and Texans — rank in the top 10 of both categories.

The Steelers may not have created the template to stop the Patriots, but they clearly saw in their film study an effective strategy already in place and executed it to perfection.

There was an interesting note this week in the NFL Media research packet pointing out that the top eight teams in the NFL in total defense all come from the AFC. Pretty crazy, considering it used to be that the NFC was known for rugged defense and the AFC was known for high-scoring aerial attacks.

Watch enhanced replays of the Baltimore Ravens’ thrilling comeback against the Arizona Cardinals, and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ clash with AFC rival New England Tuesday night on NFL Network.

Friday is the last chance to have your say in who wins top honors for last weekend’s games by voting for the NFL’s Hardest Working Man award, the Rookie of the Week, Air & Ground Player of the Week, and Never Say Never Moment of the Week. And don’t forget to fill out your Pro Bowl ballot!

In Week 10 of last season, Pittsburgh’s defense gave up more points than they have ever allowed in the 11-year history of Heinz Field. Once again, the Patriots will visit with Tom Brady, Wes Welker, two dangerous tight ends and a bevy of running backs in tow.

LaMarr Woodley rarely disappoints during his appearances on NFL Network.

Enough with the hollow chatter about the aging Steelers looking slow and clumsy on their feet. These guys can move.

Rashard Mendenhall is back and will start on Sunday, putting a dent in Isaac Redman’s fantasy value.