The Steelers seek to unlock the fountain of youth as they look to beat the Texans in a playoff game, something they haven’t done in 9 years. The Steelers are in an advantageous position to end that streak on Monday, however. The game is projected to be close and low scoring, so the Texans are unlikely to pull away. The Steelers have not won a playoff game since January 15, 2017. It’s the longest playoff win drought for the franchise since pre-1972. Outside of the 45-42 Divisional Round Loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the five other Steelers Playoff losses have been 10+ point losses during the six-game losing streak.

I think what the Steelers need to do to be able to have a chance to be victorious on Monday Night Football in a game in front of their home fans is come out with a sense of urgency, just like they did against the Ravens last Sunday. In a game that saw Aaron Rodgers put on a show in front of the home fans of Pittsburgh. The Ravens did jump out to an early lead, but after halftime, the Steelers turned on the gas and were rolling.

This game means a lot to Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin because of his job security in Pittsburgh. And of course, Aaron Rodgers is playing in his last home game in Pittsburgh. But I think getting an important reinforcement back for this incredibly important is key, as the Steelers will welcome back DK Metcalf from his 2-game suspension. Having Rodgers’ best target out there Monday Night could, in fact, be the difference maker in this game.

The Texans Pose A Tough Challenge

Let’s not forget about how hot the Texans have been lately, winning on a total 9-game winning streak after including a dominant 38-30 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. We know how dominant the Texans can be in the playoffs. The Houston Texans have six total playoff wins in their history as of early 2026. Holding a 6-8 postseason record, with all wins coming in the Wild Card Round (6 Wins) despite multiple AFC South titles, making them one of the few franchises without a Conference Championship appearance.

The Houston Texans have won the previous playoff game matchups in the past 2 years. Those games are coming on January 13, 2024, when the rookie CJ Stroud played in his first home playoff game and engineered a huge playoff victory. In that game, CJ Stroud outdueled the Browns’ then-quarterback, old journeyman Joe Flacco. The Texans rolled the Cleveland Browns 45-14 in that year. Then, there was last year’s playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Texans once again routed an AFC opponent in the playoffs. As the chargers couldn’t get anything going against a Texans lead defense that was hot that day. CJ Stroud once again put on a show at quarterback in his second season as the Houston signal-caller. And the Texans are going to need to put up with that same effort if they are going to be undefeated in the Wild Card Round again.

End Of My Steelers Rant

The Steelers also have home-field advantage for the first time since 2020 and the weather on their side, as dome teams like Houston have historically struggled in cold postseason games. The Steelers haven’t lost at home on a Monday night in 35 years, so this could be a golden chance for them.