'Best defense' steals show in Texans' wild-card win
PITTSBURGH -- The Houston Texans won their first road playoff game in franchise history, dominating the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 in the wild-card round of the playoffs. The Texans' defense held the Steelers to 175 yards, scored two touchdowns and harassed future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Key Facts from the Game
- Final Score: Texans 30, Steelers 6
- Texans' Defense: Held the Steelers to 175 yards
- Rodgers' Playoff History: Held under 20 points in a playoff game just once in 21 prior starts
- Stroud's Performance: Finished with five fumbles (two lost)
- Next Game: Texans will face the New England Patriots on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC)
Rodgers-led teams had been held under 20 points in a playoff game just once in 21 prior starts, a 13-10 loss in the 2021 season's divisional round against the San Francisco 49ers that was the signal-caller's last playoff game with Green Bay. Houston's offense left a lot to be desired until the fourth quarter, starting with quarterback C.J. Stroud's three turnovers on the evening.
Still, the Texans finished with 408 yards, and the rushing attack was effective, with rookie Woody Marks recording his first 100-yard rushing performance. Here are the most important things to know from Monday night for both teams:
No. 5 Houston Texans
QB breakdown: Stroud looked timid and rattled at times. He finished with five fumbles (two lost), tying the record for most fumbles in a playoff game in NFL history with Houston Oilers quarterback Warren Moon. Stroud went 21-of-32 for 250 yards and a touchdown with an interception.
Trend to watch: The Texans' rushing attack was potent, as it finished with 164 yards. Marks led the charge and finished with 112 rushing yards on 19 carries and a touchdown. If Houston, which averaged 108.9 rushing yards in the regular season (22nd), can get over 150 yards on the ground, its chances elevate that much more behind that defense.
Most surprising performance: Christian Kirk had his first 100-yard performance since joining the Texans in the offseason. He finished with 144 yards and a touchdown. His season high had been 64 yards, and he had seven games where he had less than 10 yards -- including the regular-season finale against the Indianapolis Colts where he had -3 yards. Kirk, who hadn't registered a 100-yard receiving game since Nov. 12, 2023, picked up the slack for Houston's leading receiver, Nico Collins -- who exited the game in the third quarter after suffering a concussion.
Turning point: With the Texans leading 10-6 with 11:23 remaining in the fourth quarter, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins returned a Rodgers fumble for a touchdown. It was part of a 23-point fourth quarter for the Texans.
No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers
Playing a home playoff game in front of fans for the first time since 2018, the Steelers' foray into the postseason ended the same way as their previous seven trips -- even if they didn't follow the same script in the loss. Unlike a year ago, the Steelers' defense mostly held up until the late production in the fourth quarter by the Texans,
