For the first time in franchise history, the Texans have had the benefit of watching all of the other NFL playoff contenders play prior to them taking the field for their matchup. 

There have been high scoring affairs, heartbreak moments and defensive clinics put on throught Wildcard Weekend. 

With the benefit of watching and learning, here are three keys that the Texans can focus on heading into their Monday Night Football showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is very fortunate that his quarterback Caleb Williams was able to help engineer an all-time great comeback against the Green Bay Packers Saturday night, or we'd be having a different conversation about his mentality towards offensive play-calling. 

The reason was an overly-aggressive offensive approach from Johnson that was the primary reason for the Bears facing a 21-3 deficit early in the ball game. Specifically, Johnson continued to opt for 4th down tries that fell short repeatedly. 

They were:

4th & 5 at the Chicago 32-yard line, Turnover on Downs (second quarter)

4th & 4 at the Green Bay 37-yard line, Turnover on Downs (second quarter)

Thankfully for Johnson and co., they were able to mount a historic comeback and shock the Packers 31-27 in regulation after finding an offensive rhythm amidst Green Bay's own offensive woes.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans and offensive coordinator Nick Caley are known around Houston for leaning on the more conservative side in those same situations. Good. 

Possessions are at  a premium in the playoffs, so there's no time to mishandle opportunities to score when they're presented to you. 

With an elite defense behind them, the Texans should not overthink whether or not to take the points if in a position to. Seven points may be more than three, but three points are a lot more than zero.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence had not thrown multiple interceptions in a game since week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals (three). That changed yesterday afternoon vs. the Buffalo Bills, as Lawrence threw two interceptions that were key in the Jaguars being stunned at home 27-24 by the road team. 

His first turnover came with roughly 5:30 left in the first quarter, as Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson intercepted a pass over the middle intended for Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington. It resulted in a made 50-yard field goal by Bills kicker Matt Prater to make it 3-0 Buffalo. 

The second came in the fourth quarter, and it was literally Lawrence "throwing the game away". Down 27-24 to the Bills, and with roughly 1:00 left in the game to tie or take the lead, Lawrence launched a pass over the middle that was intended for Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. It was tipped into the air and then caught by Bills safety Cole Bishop, ending the game and season for the Jaguars.

The Texans have the second-best turnover differential in football, aided by having the second-best "giveaways" mark in football with 12. They understand the value of protecting the football, as evidenced by them not having a single turnover in four of their final five regular season games played (two interceptions in week 17 vs. the Chargers). 

Protecting the football must continue to be the priority for the Texans if they want a chance against defensive stars like cornerback Jalen Ramsey and defensive end T.J. Watt.

The New England Patriots' defensive unit smothered quarterback Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers' offense for the entirety of their meeting yesterday evening. This helped New England secure a 16-3 victory vs. Los Angeles at Gillette Stadium. 

The Patriots held the Chargers to 207 total yards and only three points scored on the night. Their 207 offensive yards are the second-fewest gained in a game this entire season (135 in week 11 vs. the Jaguars). Additionally, this is the third time this year that Los Angeles has scored less than 10 points in a game, and their second time scoring three points (week 18 vs. the Denver Broncos). 

The Texans are no strangers to the importance of elite defensive performances, as their #1 overall defense has been the catalyst for their nine-game winning streak and the optimism surrounding their chances at a deep playoff run this postseason. 

The Patriots scored the first blowout of the postseason, courtesy of the best defensive performance of Wildcard Weekend. The Texans definitely need to keep this in mind as they face the Steelers and their Aaron Rodgers-led offense in the NFL's final Wildcard game of the year. 

What other keys do you think are important for tonight? Let us know in the comments section below and by mentioning us at @Texans_RTB on X and @Texans.Roundtable on Tik Tok!