Houston Texans Crush Steelers, Claim First Road Playoff Win
The Houston Texans delivered a commanding statement in the AFC wild card round, dismantling the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 Monday night at Acrisure Stadium. Houston's top-ranked defense dominated from the start, holding Pittsburgh to just 175 total yards while forcing turnovers and scoring twice on their own. Sheldon Rankins scooped up a fumble caused by Will Anderson Jr.'s strip-sack and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, while Calen Bullock sealed the rout with a 50-yard pick-six off Aaron Rodgers late in the game.
Offensively, C.J. Stroud overcame three turnovers to throw for 250 yards and a touchdown, including a key 6-yard scoring pass to Christian Kirk, who exploded for 144 yards on eight catches. Rookie Woody Marks added his first 100-yard rushing game with 112 yards and a 13-yard touchdown run that put the game away.
Pittsburgh's offense, led by the 42-year-old Rodgers in what may have been his final NFL snap, never found any rhythm against Houston's suffocating front seven featuring Anderson and Danielle Hunter. Rodgers completed just 17 of 33 passes for 146 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, as the Steelers managed only two field goals and went scoreless after halftime.
What was expected to be a gritty defensive battle turned one-sided quickly, with Houston's ground game overpowering Pittsburgh and capitalizing on every mistake. The loss extended the Steelers' playoff win drought to seven games, ending their long streak of Monday night home success and leaving questions about the futures of head coach Mike Tomlin and Rodgers.
This victory marked the Texans' first-ever road playoff win in franchise history, a huge milestone under head coach DeMeco Ryans. After a slow start to the regular season, Houston rattled off nine straight wins to close the year and now heads to the divisional round against the New England Patriots with serious momentum.
The performance proved Houston's status as one of the AFC's most complete teams, blending elite defense with opportunistic offense. While Pittsburgh reflects on another early exit, the Texans and their fans can celebrate a dominant showing that cements them among the conference's top contenders.
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