Steelers' unproven tackles face a league-leading pass rush. Can they overcome inexperience and contain Houston's elite defensive ends?
The Steelers have two inexperienced offensive tackles, and the Houston Texans have what Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin believes is the best duo of defensive ends in the NFL.
So, the Steelers (10-7) would seem to be at a major disadvantage on Monday night when they host the Texans (12-5) in an AFC Wild Card playoff game at Acrisure Stadium. Dylan Cook and Will Fautanu seem likely to overmatched by Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson.
Cook spent four years on the practice squads of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Steelers before making his NFL debut on Dec. 7. Fautanu was the Steelers’ first-round draft pick in 2024 but sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 1, so he is basically at the end of his rookie season.
However, Fautanu and Cook are ready to give Hunter and Anderson their best shot.
"Obviously execute the game plan,” Fautanu said of the key to success against the Texans’ defensive ends. “Coaches are putting together a good game plan; we've just got to go out there and execute. We've got to play our best when our best is needed, and this week is a really big one."
Despite being 31, Hunter shows no signs of slowing down. He leads the Texans with 15 sacks and has 22 quarterback hits and three forced fumbles.
"Hunter is very technically sound," Fautanu said. "He has a lot of moves, got a deep bag. He's kind of unorthodox, but in a good way. You don't really know what could come. But just watching him, just going about my process the same way.”
Anderson, the third overall pick in the 2023 draft, has a career-high 12 sacks in his third season. He also has 23 quarterback hits and 20 tackles for loss while forcing three fumbles.
"Will is just very, very powerful,” Fautanu said. “He's trying to run through your face and then set up his moves off of that. So just trying to figure that out. Just play my game really.”
The Steelers have allowed 31 sacks this season, the ninth-best total in the NFL. The Texans’ defense is seventh in sacks with 47. Fautanu feels the worst thing that can happen is for he and Cook to overthink their matchup with Hunter and Anderson.
“Sometimes you can watch too much film,” Fautanu said. “There's so much film out there, there's 17 games. For me, I just try and see what a guy does, what his play style is like. And then I just go out there and just let the bullets fly, so I'm excited."