The Houston Texans became the final team to enter the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Monday night. They did so on the strength of their defense, which is what led them to regular-season success. Even when C.J. Stroud was bad or hurt, the defense carried this team to 11 wins.
On Monday night, that defense flexed its might and established itself as a Super Bowl-level unit. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who fell 30-6, are not a top-tier threat, but the Texans made them look like a high school offense in a truly exceptional display.
Houston Texans demolish Aaron Rodgers, Steelers
The Houston Texans’ defense held the Steelers to just 175 yards. Their vaunted pass rush was on a heater, sacking Aaron Rodgers four times and forcing him to fumble and throw a pick, both of which were returned for touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
He had one other fumble, and he posted a 14.3 QBR. That is the lowest he has ever recorded in a playoff game. The Texans had his number like no one ever has, and it is the sole reason they won the contest.
While Rodgers was abysmal, C.J. Stroud was only slightly better. He fumbled the ball five separate times, losing two of them. He also threw an interception in an ugly showing. The offense scored two touchdowns, and so did the defense.
Calen Bullock, who picked off and returned what may be Rodgers’ final pass ever, said after the game via ESPN. “Shoot, I think everybody knows we are the best defense. The whole world knows that. Every time we go out there we show it and we went out there and showed it today. I don’t even think they scored a touchdown.”
The Texans were second in points per game allowed during the season. The Seattle Seahawks were first. However, Houston’s D allowed the fewest yards per game. They also did so by featuring the fewest number of stunts or simulated pressures. They just line up and get after it.
DeMeco Ryans comments on dominant outing
DeMeco Ryans, who coaches the team but is a defensive guy, said, “It was an outstanding defensive performance. One of the best that I’ve seen versus a really talented offense, a talented quarterback who played at a high level for a long time.”
Ryans also acknowledged that Stroud struggled, but he appreciated that the third-year QB “didn’t waver,” adding, “You can easily go into the tank, but he didn’t waver. That’s who he is. He’s a resilient young man who’s able to bounce back. Anybody can go into the tank and drop the ball a few times. You keep battling. (…) That’s what he did, and he made some big throws for us, some huge passes that allowed us to get in striking distance and score.”
“We had some problems with the snap, me catching them,” Stroud admitted of the turnovers. “Got to find a way to take care of the ball. It’s all about moving forward and trying your best to flush it and keep going. Every time we had to bounce back, we made more plays, so I’m proud of our guys for having a little bit of resilience in those moments.”
That makes 10 wins in a row for the Houston Texans. They will now travel to face the AFC’s number two seed, the New England Patriots, for a chance to go to the AFC Championship for the first time in franchise history.
The Patriots won, but they did not look convincing, other than on defense. If the Wild Card Round is any indication, these two teams could be in for a defensive slugfest next weekend in Foxboro.
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