Houston Texans (12-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Texans -3, Total 38.5
Series Rewind: Houston pounded Pittsburgh 30-6 in 2023 to end a three-game skid in the series. That was C.J. Stroud’s rookie season and he shined by passing for 306 yards and two TDs. This is their first postseason meeting.
The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game in nine years and now the NFL’s best defense stands in the way and threatens to impose another unhappy ending. Aaron Rodgers (11-10 as a postseason starter) will be asked to solve the defensive unit of the Texans and end the dubious streak that has seen Pittsburgh drop six consecutive playoff games since defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round on Jan. 15, 2017. Rodgers had 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 16 games. He hasn’t been picked in his last seven outings. Protecting the ball is key against Houston, which ranks second in the NFL with a plus-17 takeaway margin. The Texans allowed a league-low 277.2 yards per game and ranked second in points allowed at 17.4 per game. Danielle Hunter finished third in the NFL with 15 sacks and Will Anderson Jr. tied for eighth with 12. Stroud is playing in the playoffs for the third straight season and has a 2-2 postseason mark. During the regular season, he passed for 3,041 yards and 19 touchdowns against eight interceptions despite missing three games due to a concussion. The Steelers get DK Metcalf (team-best 850 receiving yards, six TDs) back from a two-game suspension. Also, star linebacker T.J. Watt should feel a bit more spry in his second game since lung surgery.
–Field Level Media