Houston's defense ignites a playoff rout. Dominant pass rush and defensive scores seal a stunning 30-6 victory over the Steelers.
The Texans walked into Pittsburgh and turned a tense playoff game into a defensive statement, rolling the Steelers 30-6 in the AFC Wild Card round.
Early on, it looked like it might be one of those ugly, grind-it-out January nights. Pittsburgh’s only real offense came off Chris Boswell’s leg, as the Steelers settled for two early field goals and tried to win the game by surviving. Houston wasn’t sharp out of the gate either, but it did produce the cleanest drive of the first half.
C.J. Stroud marched the Texans 92 yards and capped it with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Christian Kirk, giving Houston a slim 7-6 edge at the break to build some momentum.
If it felt like the Steelers were hanging around, they were, but without any real answers. Stroud had a messy night overall, including a couple of self-inflicted mistakes that kept Pittsburgh within striking distance longer than it probably deserved. For a brief stretch, the game sat in that uncomfortable space where one swing could flip everything.
That swing came from Houston’s defense.
Ka’imi Fairbairn pushed the lead to 10-6 with a 51-yard field goal, and from there the Texans’ pass rush took complete control. Will Anderson Jr. blew up the pocket for a strip sack, Sheldon Rankins scooped the offseason addition and rumbled 33 yards for a touchdown, and the game immediately shifted from a close one, to over. What had been a one-score grinder turned into a snowball rolling downhill.
The fourth quarter was pure avalanche. Woody Marks punched in a 13-yard rushing touchdown to stretch the margin, and Calen Bullock put an exclamation point on the night with a 50-yard pick-six that silenced the crowd. On the other side, Aaron Rodgers never found rhythm, never generated explosive plays and never gave Pittsburgh a real chance to respond. In what might have been a future Hall of Famer's last game ever, the Texans absolutely shut him down.
Houston also had to adjust on the fly after Nico Collins exited with a concussion, thinning an already stressed receiving corps. It didn’t matter. This was a win built on defensive touchdowns, short fields, and a pass rush that overwhelmed Pittsburgh when it mattered most.
The Texans didn’t need perfection from their quarterback or fireworks from the offense. They needed impact plays, and their defense delivered them in waves. With the 30-6 win, Houston moves on, looking every bit like a team capable of dragging opponents into deep water and finishing them there.
It was on the back of the defense, just like it has been all season. That side of the ball is the best in the league and on the brink of generational.