The Houston Texans concluded their second consecutive 13-loss season on Sunday with a win.

Houston closed the campaign with a 14-play, 83-yard drive for a touchdown with 50 seconds to play in the season finale, then went for 2. Quarterback Davis Mills had thrown a 26-yard pass to tight end Jordan Akins for the touchdown, and they connected again on the 2-pointer to beat the Indianapolis Colts 32-31 on Sunday.

It remains to be seen if the 2-pointer will prevent Alabama All-American Bryce Young from becoming the Texans’ quarterback, because while Houston was rallying to beat the Colts, the Chicago Bears were losing to the Minnesota Vikings 29-13.

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The Bears’ 10th consecutive loss left their final record for 2022 at 3-14, worse than the Texans’ 3-13-1 showing, and allowing Chicago to overtake Houston for the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Texans coach Lovie Smith knew what was at stake.

“I understand the outside things that were out there,” Smith said. “But as far as our football team, we practiced hard this week to win, and as you see, it’s one thing to give it lip service. It’s one thing, as you see, how we fought right up until the end. …

“This is the option that I had: So you’re saying, ‘Hey, guys, we’re playing this last game. All that you’ve been working for all your life – you play to win — forget that. Lose the game on purpose.’ I think that would be a hard one to get by. They wouldn’t expect me to say that. I didn’t. Each week, our game plan has been to win the game. It’s kind of simple as that. And that’s what we followed through on.”

On Sunday night, the Texans fired Smith, and Houston will have its fifth coach in four seasons when the 2023 campaign kicks off.

Although Mills threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday, the Texans were expected to select a quarterback with the No. 1 pick – either Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.

Houston still might be able to do that, just not at No. 1.

Young and Stroud were the betting favorites to be the first selection in this year’s draft, but with the Bears now in the No. 1 spot, the odds are expected to change.

Chicago used the 11th choice in the 2021 draft on Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. His passing-efficiency rating rose from 73.2 as a rookie to 85.2 in 15 games in 2022, when he ran for 1,143 yards, the second-most by a quarterback in one NFL season.

With the Bears, the No. 1 focus is more likely to be on Alabama pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr. and Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter or a trade as Chicago contemplates what to do with its first top pick since 1947.

With the end of the regular season on Sunday, the order of the first 18 selections in the 2023 draft were set. The rest of the first round and the six rounds that follow will be determined by the outcome of the NFL playoffs.

Through trades, two of the playoff teams – the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks – hold a pick in the top 18.

The Texans and Detroit Lions have two picks apiece among the top 18. Teams without a first-round selection right now are the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers.

The order of the first 18 selections in the 2023 NFL Draft at the end of the 2022 regular season:

· No. 1: Chicago Bears

· No. 2: Houston Texans

· No. 3: Arizona Cardinals

· No. 4: Indianapolis Colts

· No. 5: Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos)

· No. 6: Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams)

· No. 7: Las Vegas Raiders

· No. 8: Atlanta Falcons

· No. 9: Carolina Panthers

· No. 10: Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans Saints)

· No. 11: Tennessee Titans

· No. 12: Houston Texans (from Cleveland Browns)

· No. 13: New York Jets

· No. 14: New England Patriots

· No. 15: Green Bay Packers

· No. 16: Washington Commanders

· No. 17: Pittsburgh Steelers

· No. 18: Detroit Lions

The 88th NFL Draft is scheduled for April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.