Blame it on the algorithms, but ESPN is predicting the Houston Texans to play in the AFC championship game for the first time in franchise history this season.

According to Seth Walder of ESPN Analytics, the entire NFL schedule was simulated 20,000 times using the media outlet’s Football Power Index, which forecast the Texans to win the AFC South with a 10-6 record and go as far as the conference title game at the Los Angeles Chargers. Here is the entire Texans schedule as predicted by ESPN.

Week 1 at Saints 34-33 W 1-0 Week 2 vs. Jaguars 30-25 L 1-1 Week 3 at Chargers 34-27 W 2-1 Week 4 vs. Panthers 33-7 W 3-1 Week 5 vs. Falcons 24-17 W 4-1 Week 6 at Chiefs 35-17 L 4-2 Week 7 at Colts 26-10 L 4-3 Week 8 vs. Raiders 34-31 L 4-4 Week 9 at Jaguars (London) 37-22 W 5-4 Week 10 BYE Week 11 at Ravens 41-14 W 6-4 Week 12 vs. Colts 23-0 W 7-4 Week 13 vs. Patriots 18-16 L 7-5 Week 14 vs. Broncos 33-31 W 8-5 Week 15 at Titans 17-15 W 9-5 Week 16 at Buccaneers 31-27 W 10-5 Week 17 vs. Titans 19-17 L 10-6 Wild-card vs. Steelers 27-17 W 11-6 Divisional at Patriots 38-26 W 12-6 Conference at Chargers 34-26 L 12-7

If the Texans were to play in the AFC championship game, it would be the first time since the 1979 AFC title game that the city of Houston’s NFL team was one game away from the Super Bowl. The Oilers made consecutive appearances in the AFC championship game from 1978-79, but fell short each time as they had to play in frigid Pittsburgh against the Steelers, who incidentally the Texans are predicted to beat in the comfy confines of NRG Stadium in the 2019 AFC wild-card.

Should the Texans get as far as a touchdown and two-point conversion away from forcing overtime to advance to the Super Bowl, it would give plenty of credibility to the cut weekend moves coach Bill O’Brien has made with the five-man general manager committee. And if the Texans beat the Patriots along the way, it would also bolster O’Brien’s standing even more in the organization.