The question of what's the score of monday night football just got answered in the most lopsided way possible. If you were expecting a classic, grind-it-out Pittsburgh winter duel at Acrisure Stadium, you probably turned the TV off pretty early. The Houston Texans didn't just win; they essentially dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 30-6 final score that sent shockwaves through the AFC.
Honestly, it was weird. For three quarters, this felt like one of those old-school defensive struggles where every yard was a chore. Then, the fourth quarter happened. Houston exploded for 23 points in the final frame, turning a nail-biter into a certified "get-the-bus-started" kind of game. It was the final piece of the Wild Card puzzle, and it certainly wasn't the ending Mike Tomlin or Aaron Rodgers had in mind for their 2025-26 campaign.
Breaking Down the Monday Night Football Score: 30-6
To understand how we got to that 30-6 finish, you have to look at the second half. At halftime, Houston held a slim 7-6 lead. It was ugly. It was cold. It was exactly where the Steelers usually thrive. But the Texans' defense decided they were done playing nice.
The turning point was a sequence that Rodgers will probably see in his nightmares for a few weeks. With the Steelers trailing 10-6 and trying to mount a drive, Will Anderson Jr. came off the edge like a heat-seeking missile. He didn't just sack Rodgers; he jarred the ball loose. Sheldon Rankins, the veteran defensive tackle, scooped that thing up and rumbled 33 yards for a "big man touchdown."
That single play felt like it sucked the air right out of the stadium. Suddenly, it was 17-6, and the floodgates were open.
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The Scoring Summary (How it Went Down)
- 1st Quarter: Steelers 3, Texans 0 (Chris Boswell field goal)
- 2nd Quarter: Texans 7, Steelers 3 (Woody Marks rushing TD)
- 2nd Quarter: Texans 7, Steelers 6 (Chris Boswell field goal)
- 4th Quarter: Texans 10, Steelers 6 (Ka'imi Fairbairn field goal)
- 4th Quarter: Texans 17, Steelers 6 (Sheldon Rankins fumble recovery TD)
- 4th Quarter: Texans 24, Steelers 6 (Woody Marks rushing TD)
- 4th Quarter: Texans 30, Steelers 6 (Calen Bullock 50-yard interception return TD)
The fact that Houston’s defense scored as many touchdowns (two) as the entire Pittsburgh offense managed field goals tells you everything you need to know about this game.
What Went Wrong for the Steelers?
You've gotta feel for the Pittsburgh faithful. They came in with a 23-game home winning streak on Monday Night Football. That’s a legendary run. It ended tonight.
Aaron Rodgers looked every bit of his age under the relentless pressure of the Houston front. He finished with just 112 passing yards. That's not a typo. The Texans' secondary, led by Calen Bullock, was so tight that Rodgers basically had nowhere to go. Bullock’s 50-yard pick-six late in the fourth was just the salt in the wound.
T.J. Watt was his usual self—frustratingly good and always near the ball—but even a generational talent can't win a game when the offense produces a measly 175 total yards. After the game, Watt called the loss "extremely frustrating," which is probably an understatement. Mike Tomlin's playoff losing streak has now hit seven games. That ties him with Marvin Lewis for a record nobody wants.
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The Texans Are for Real
While everyone is talking about the Steelers' collapse, we should probably talk about how good DeMeco Ryans has this Houston team playing. This was the franchise’s first-ever road playoff win. Think about that. Twenty-four years of history, and they finally broke the curse in one of the most hostile environments in the league.
C.J. Stroud didn't have to be a superhero because his defense and run game were so dominant. Woody Marks was a workhorse, racking up 112 yards and two scores on 19 carries. Christian Kirk was the go-to guy through the air, hauling in 8 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown.
The Texans finished with 408 total yards compared to Pittsburgh’s 175. That is a massive gap in a playoff game. It was a clinic in "swarm" defense and opportunistic offense.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Score
If you just see the 30-6 score on your phone, you might think Houston dominated from the opening kickoff. They didn't. This was a 7-6 game for the vast majority of the night.
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The misconception is that the Steelers' defense failed. They didn't, at least not until they were forced to stay on the field for 32 minutes because the offense couldn't sustain a drive. Two of Houston's touchdowns came directly from the defense. If you take those away, it's a 16-6 game, which is still a loss, but it feels a lot different. The reality is that Pittsburgh's lack of a vertical threat allowed Houston to sit on every short route and wait for the mistake. And the mistake came.
Looking Ahead: The Divisional Round
Now that we know what's the score of monday night football, the AFC bracket is officially set for the Divisional Round.
Houston doesn't get much time to celebrate. They have to head to Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots on Sunday, January 18th. That’s a 3:00 PM ET kickoff on ABC/ESPN. The Patriots are currently 3-point favorites, but after what we saw tonight, I wouldn't bet against this Texans defense.
On the other side of the AFC, the Buffalo Bills will travel to Denver to face the top-seeded Broncos on Saturday.
Actions You Can Take Now
If you're following the playoffs, here is exactly what you should do next to stay ahead of the curve:
- Check the Injury Report: Keep a close eye on Nico Collins. He left the game in the fourth quarter for a concussion evaluation and didn't return. If he’s out against the Patriots, that’s a huge blow to Stroud’s options.
- Update Your Bracket: If you’re in a playoff pool, the Wild Card round is over. The remaining teams are the Broncos, Patriots, Bills, and Texans in the AFC; and the Seahawks, Bears, Rams, and 49ers in the NFC.
- Set Your Alarms: The next round of games starts Saturday, January 17th, at 4:30 PM ET with Bills vs. Broncos on CBS.
The road to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara is getting narrow. Houston just proved they belong in the conversation, while Pittsburgh is left with a lot of questions about the future of the Rodgers era and the Tomlin regime.