History Says Aaron Rodgers Could Struggle vs. DeMeco Ryans, Texans

The last time future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers came up short in a playoff game, it was during the 2021 NFL season in which he and the Green Bay Packers fell to none other than a DeMeco Ryans-led defense on board with the San Francisco 49ers, losing in an ugly 10-13 fashion, and just a one-and-done in the postseason after an impressive MVP campaign.

Rodgers finished that game completing 20 of 29 passes, threw for 225 yards, had zero total touchdowns, and was taken down for a gruesome five sacks that combined for his last playoff outing as a Packer, and a game that many, in his position, would likely want to forget.

Now, Rodgers is back in the postseason once again at age 42, this time as a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC, but still tasked with overcoming a DeMeco Ryans-led defense four years later with the Houston Texans.

Of course, the 49ers' roster of four years ago and the Texans' roster of today are vastly different units––but it could be easy to argue that the group Houston boasts is actually much better than that San Francisco group from 2021, and in turn, makes a taller task for Rodgers and the Steelers' offense to overcome.

Could Aaron Rodgers Fall Flat Against Texans?

The Texans' defense isn't just among the best in the NFL; it's one of the best collective units the league has seen in recent memory––allowing the second-most points per game in the league next to only the Seattle Seahawks, allowing the least yards per game in the NFL, while also holding the lowest opposing EPA/play as a defense.

The Steelers have seen some tough defenses this season: the Cleveland Browns a couple of times, the Minnesota Vikings, and the LA Chargers all finished with top-ten units on that side of the ball, a batch of teams Pittsburgh finished 2-2 against with a point differential of -5. They have yet to see a top-three defense like the Texans, and they have talent all over the field.

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks on after the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Derek Stingley has been one of the best corners in the NFL through the second half of the season, not allowing more than 45 yards in coverage since Week 10. Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson have combined for 151 total pressures this season, more than any other edge-rushing duo in the league. Jalen Pitre has stood his ground as one of the best slot corners, allowing just a 59.0 passer rating when targeted all this season.

There's simply no holes to be had within Houston's defense, and of any offense that could be tasked to go against them in the AFC, there's certainly an argument that the Steelers are the worst-equipped to take on that challenge; having what's likely the least inspiring offensive attack in the mix of contenders.

One positive for the Steelers is that Rodgers will have his top wideout in DK Metcalf back in his arsenal after two weeks off, but that might not be enough to get over the hump against a matchup like Stingley, or a double against Kamari Lassiter and one of the Texans' safeties.

Perhaps if C.J. Stroud and the Texans' offense start out of the gates slow against the Steelers' feisty defense as they have before this season, it could make for a defensive-forced slugfest between both sides. But that's also a setup that bodes well for Houston and their red-hot defense, currently rolling into the postseason on a nine-game win streak.

No matter which way you slice it, Rodgers will have his hands full in his first postseason game back in four years with what the Texans are bringing to the table, and could make for a similarly long day like he saw against Ryans and the 49ers in 2021.

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