Honestly, if you turned off the TV at halftime thinking Aaron Rodgers was about to pull some veteran magic out of his hat, I can't even blame you. The atmosphere at Acrisure Stadium was electric. The terrible towels were out. The Pittsburgh Steelers had a 23-game home winning streak on Monday Night Football on the line. But when the dust settled on the final football scores for monday night, the scoreboard read a shocking 30-6 in favor of the Houston Texans.
It wasn't just a loss; it was a structural collapse.
The Night the Streak Died in Pittsburgh
The Steelers don't lose at home on Monday nights. At least, they didn't. Coach Mike Tomlin had never lost a Monday night home game in his entire career until yesterday, January 12, 2026. Heading into this AFC Wild Card matchup, they were 23-0 in this specific scenario.
Then the Houston Texans showed up with the number one ranked defense in the league and absolutely zero respect for history.
Houston’s defense didn't just stop Rodgers; they embarrassed the protection scheme. They sacked him four times. They forced two fumbles. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, it felt like the Steelers were playing in quicksand. Rodgers, who is 42 now, looked every bit his age under the relentless pressure of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. He finished the night completing just 5 of 13 attempts under pressure. That's not the Rodgers we’re used to seeing in January.
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Houston's Defensive Masterclass
The game was actually tight for a while. It was 3-3 at the half. 6-6 in the third. It was a gritty, ugly, defensive struggle that felt like "classic" AFC North football. But then the wheels fell off.
Sheldon Rankins changed the entire trajectory of the game. He split a sack with Anderson, forced a fumble from Rodgers, scooped it up, and rumbled into the end zone. That made it 17-6. You could literally hear the air leave the stadium. Pittsburgh fans have seen their team struggle in the playoffs before—this is their seventh straight postseason loss—but this one felt different. It felt like an era ending.
The Texans added another defensive touchdown late when Calen Bullock picked off a desperate Rodgers pass and took it 50 yards to the house.
Breaking Down the Wild Card Numbers
When you look at the football scores for monday night, the 30-6 final doesn't even tell the whole story of how lopsided the yardage was. Houston put up 408 total yards. Pittsburgh? 175.
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You aren't winning many playoff games with 175 yards of offense.
- Third Down Efficiency: The Steelers went 2 of 14. That is abysmal. You can't sustain drives when you’re constantly punting on 4th and 7.
- The Run Game: Houston's rookie Woody Marks put the nail in the coffin with a 13-yard touchdown run late in the fourth. He capped off an 11-play drive that took six minutes off the clock.
- Pressure Rate: Rodgers was under duress on nearly 46% of his dropbacks.
It’s worth noting that Nico Collins, Houston's star receiver, left the game for a concussion evaluation and didn't return. Even without their primary deep threat for a chunk of the game, C.J. Stroud stayed poised. He didn't need to be a superhero because his defense was playing like the '85 Bears. Stroud finished the night passing Deshaun Watson for the most playoff passing touchdowns in Texans history.
What about the rest of the weekend?
While Monday night was the finale, the rest of Super Wild Card Weekend was actually much closer. Almost every other game came down to the final possession.
- Rams 34, Panthers 31: Matthew Stafford found Colby Parkinson in the final minute to break Carolina's heart.
- Bears 31, Packers 27: Chicago survived a late surge from Green Bay to move on.
- Bills 27, Jaguars 24: Josh Allen did Josh Allen things, leading a late comeback.
- 49ers 23, Eagles 19: Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey eliminated the defending champs in Philly.
- Patriots 16, Chargers 3: A defensive slog in Foxborough that sent the Bolts packing.
Why the Steelers Keep Falling Short
This loss ties Mike Tomlin with Marvin Lewis for the longest playoff losing streak by a head coach (7 games). It’s a stat that’s going to haunt Pittsburgh all offseason. They have the talent. T.J. Watt was out there being T.J. Watt, recording sacks and trying to rally the defense. But they can’t seem to find an identity on offense when the lights are brightest.
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"Words are cheap," Tomlin said in the post-game presser. He's right. For a team with six Lombardi trophies in the lobby, the last decade has been remarkably quiet in January.
The Texans, meanwhile, are heading to Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round. That is going to be a fascinating matchup of young star QBs versus a veteran defensive mastermind in Jerod Mayo.
Tactical Takeaways for the Divisional Round
If you’re looking ahead to next week’s betting lines or fantasy matchups, keep an eye on Houston’s offensive line. They rank 30th in pass block win rate. While the Steelers couldn't exploit it enough to win, a team like the Patriots will definitely blitz Stroud relentlessly.
Also, watch the health of Nico Collins. If he’s in protocol, Christian Kirk becomes the de facto WR1. Kirk had a monster game yesterday, racking up 144 yards and a score.
What to do next:
- Check the Injury Reports: Monitor Nico Collins (concussion) and George Kittle (Achilles) before setting any Divisional Round fantasy lineups.
- Review the Bracket: The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks are coming off their byes. They’ll be fresh, while the Texans and 49ers are coming off physical, bruising wins.
- Watch the Lines: Early Vegas lines have the Patriots as slight favorites over the Texans, but after seeing that Houston defense score twice in one night, the "under" might be the safest play on the board.
The road to Super Bowl LX in San Francisco just got a lot more interesting. The "old guard" of Rodgers and the Steelers is out, and the "S.W.A.R.M." defense of DeMeco Ryans is officially the team nobody wants to play right now.