PITTSBURGH – By playing in the final game of NFL Wild Card Weekend, the Houston Texans had the opportunity to see which team they would play next if they advanced to the AFC Divisional Game by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That destination became crystal clear when the New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night. With a win, the Texans will travel to Gillette Stadium to face the Patriots, as New England (2nd Seed) holds a higher ranking than Houston (5th Seed). The game has been scheduled for next Sunday, but the time has not yet been determined.
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If the Texans advance to play the Patriots, it will be the third meeting of the two franchises in the divisional round, with New England winning both matchups in 2013 (41-28) and 2017 (34-16). Their last meeting was in Week 6 of the 2024 season at Gillette Stadium, with Houston winning 41-21.
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Yet before looking ahead, the Texans must take care of business against a Steelers team that has never lost a Monday Night Football game under Mike Tomlin. They also face a future first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, who defeated Houston last season at MetLife Stadium by a score of 21-13.
Led by All-Pro selections Will Anderson Jr. (edge rusher), Danielle Hunter (edge rusher), and Derek Stingley Jr. (cornerback), the Texans’ defense ended the 2025 regular season as the NFL’s top-ranked defense.
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Still, they know that Rodgers has been in these types of “Win or Go Home” games before and can still rise to the occasion when needed.
“He [Rodgers] still looks about the same,” said Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke about Rodgers still playing at a high level at the age of 42. “Still has a deadly arm. I would say, over the years, one of the biggest separating factors for me is the accuracy. He can still put the ball, pinpoint wherever he wants it, back shoulder, down the field, over the top of someone, short.
“Wherever he needs to place it, the ball’s going to be there. So, we got to be good in terms of our leverage and where our coverage responsibilities are, because he can still… It’s a long handoff whenever he wants to put it down the field. The accuracy is probably what is one of his most elite traits, I think.”
With the frigid weather conditions that include some wind gusts throughout the game at Acrisure Stadium, the Texans will rely on quarterback C.J. Stroud and 2026 NFL Pro Bowl starter at wide receiver Nico Collins to get on the same page early to control the clock and put points on the board.
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“We know what it is going to take to win,” said Collins. “Pittsburgh is a great team all around, and they are balanced. Our backs are against the wall on the road in a night game, so we have to go out there humming. I’m excited.”
