Three Reasons Steelers Could End Playoff Streak vs. Texans

The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for a memorable win in front of their home crowd at Acrisure Stadium for a second week in a row under the lights.

After clinching the AFC North over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 after Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the game, Pittsburgh will now take on the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

The Texans are perhaps the NFL's hottest team, having won their final nine contests of the regular season, which is largely a byproduct of what is arguably the league's top defense.

Earning a victory won't be an easy task for the Steelers, but there's reasons to feel hopeful about their chances of finally snapping their six-game playoff losing streak.

With that, here are three reasons why Pittsburgh could eliminate the Texans and move on to the Divisional round.

Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf (4) scores a touchdown in the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

DK Metcalf Makes Up for Lost Time

Pittsburgh's offense was humming against Baltimore last week, finishing with 26 points and 390 total yards, but that came only after it mustered just six points with 291 yards in a Week 17 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

Those two contests came without DK Metcalf on the field, who was serving a two-game suspension following a fan altercation at Ford Field during the Steelers' Week 16 bout with the Detroit Lions.

The team's lack of weapons was on full display over that stretch, but now that Metcalf has officially been reinstated, Aaron Rodgers has a bona fide No. 1 option to throw to at wide receiver.

Houston has one of the top secondaries in the league, and it held opposing teams to the sixth-fewest passing yards per game with 183.5. Metcalf is capable of a huge performance, though, and he may need one if the Steelers plan on breaking through against such a defensive unit of the Texans' caliber.

Steelers Neutralize Texans' Pass Rush

Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter make up the league's top pass rusher duo, as the pair combined for 27 sacks while each ranking inside the top-five in pressures this season with 93 and 83, respectively, per Pro Football Focus.

They're the backbone of Houston's defense, and Pittsburgh must slow them down in order to secure the victory.

The good news for the Steelers is that they've excelled in pass protection over the last handful of weeks, allowing just 32 pressures across the past four weeks.

Dylan Cook has ceded six pressures over his four starts for Pittsburgh, and Troy Fautanu has given up more than one in a single game just once since Week 14.

Both tackles will need to be on their A-game against Anderson and Hunter, and if they are, that'd significantly boost the Steelers' chances of escaping with a win.

Dec 14, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) celebrates his touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Shuts Down Nico Collins

C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins have played in four playoff games together for the Texans, and the latter has logged 367 yards with two touchdowns on 23 catches over that span.

Collins is one of the most talented receivers in the league, having logged his third-consecutive 1,000-yard season this year, and finding a way to limit his production is paramount for Pittsburgh.

Ben Roethlisberger challenged Joey Porter Jr. to step up and follow Collins all game long. If the Steelers' No. 1 corner does just that and excels, Houston's offense would be severely hampered.

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