Here’s a sentence very few fans thought they’d be reading in Week 13: this matchup between the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans is one of the most interesting and potentially exciting games of the week.

Granted, six NFL teams are on bye this week, but that doesn’t change the facts: the Broncos are surging and the Texans are thriving, and we could be in for a stupendous show.

The Broncos are the most surprising team in the NFL right now. They had a miserable 1-5 start, including a massively embarrassing 70-20 defeat at the hands of the Miami Dolphins. But they didn’t disappear or even shrink. They just kept working, confident that things would turn around if they continued to trust in themselves and new head coach Sean Payton.

And now coming into Week 13, they’ve won their last five games, including contests against the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Minnesota Vikings.

The Texans aren’t a surprise by now. Quarterback C.J. Stroud and wide receiver Tank Dell, both rookies, have become one of the most electric duos in the NFL. Stroud has continued to blossom even as the spotlight has shone brighter and brighter. They endured a tough 24-21 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 12 and will come out swinging against the Broncos, but facing Denver isn’t going to be the romp they may have expected it to be a few months ago.

This is an important game. Both teams are 6-5, and are considered to be on the bubble in the current playoff picture. A win will boost the chances of postseason play. A loss will bring either team back to .500 and make a possible playoff appearance even harder.

Which team will come out with a victory? Follow along as Yahoo Sports provides the latest news, scores and highlights from the early NFL slate in Week 13.