Texans vs. Steelers: AFC Wild Card Showdown
The Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers are set to face off on Monday night, wrapping up the wild card round of the 2026 NFL Playoffs. This matchup will finalize the AFC standings. The winning team will advance to take on the New England Patriots in the next round.
Next Opponent for the Winner
The Patriots, with a solid season finish of 14-3, hold the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff bracket. They fell to the Broncos in a tiebreaker for the top seed. Notably, they suffered a loss against the Raiders in Week 1, which raises some eyebrows since Las Vegas hasn’t performed well this year. This loss could be seen as a critical factor in determining their playoff path.
In the wild card round, the Patriots met the Chargers. The first three quarters were dominated by field goals, and New England only led 9-3 going into the final quarter. It wasn’t until Drake Maye found Hunter Henry for a touchdown that they extended their lead to 16-3 with just over nine minutes left. The Chargers struggled to score afterward and couldn’t close the gap.
Patriots’ History Against Texans and Steelers
Record: Regular season 4-9, postseason 0-2
The Texans last played the Patriots a year ago, claiming a 41-21 victory in Foxboro. When it comes to playoffs, New England has proven dominant, winning both encounters, including a 34-16 victory in the 2017 divisional round.
Record: Regular season 16-15, postseason 1-4
The Steelers managed to surprise the Patriots in Week 3 this season, forcing five turnovers. Aaron Rodgers threw the winning touchdown to Calvin Austin III with just over two minutes remaining. Historically, these teams have clashed in the playoffs four times from 1997 to 2005, with the Steelers claiming victory in just one of those meetings. Their latest encounter was during the 2017 AFC Championship, where the Patriots emerged victorious, 36-17.
The Texans are aiming for their third straight playoff appearance and looking to make it three consecutive wins in the wild card round. Despite winning the AFC South for the past two years, they’ve faced elimination in the divisional round each time. This season, they enter the playoffs as a wild card team. They’ve reached the divisional round six times but have never won there.
On the other hand, the Steelers have also made the playoffs for three years running, but they’ve faced disappointment in the wild card round recently. They’ll enjoy home-field advantage this time, having been away for their last two seasons. In 2021 and 2020, they lost in the wild card game. Their last appearance in the divisional round came in 2018 when they had a first-round bye. The last wild card win for them was in 2017, which led them to the AFC Championship.
