The regular season is a long, slow burn, but January football is a different beast entirely. Honestly, if you blinked, you might have missed the absolute clinic that took place at Acrisure Stadium. If you're asking who played NFL Monday night this week, the answer is the Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers, but "played" might be a generous term for what happened to the home team.
It was the final act of the Wild Card round, January 12, 2026. A cold night in Pennsylvania that felt even colder for the Terrible Towel-waving faithful.
The Scoreboard Don't Lie
Houston walked into one of the most hostile environments in professional sports and didn't just win—they rearranged the furniture. The Texans walked away with a 30-6 victory. Yeah, you read that right. Six points for a Pittsburgh offense led by veteran Aaron Rodgers.
It was a total system failure for the Steelers. They managed a measly 175 yards of total offense. Meanwhile, the Texans were out there playing like they owned the place, racking up over 400 yards. It's kinda wild when you think about it: the Steelers had a 23-game home winning streak on Monday Night Football heading into this. That's decades of dominance wiped out in four quarters of playoff football.
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C.J. Stroud vs. The Legend
We have to talk about the quarterback dynamic. You've got Aaron Rodgers, 42 years old, making his 23rd career playoff start. Then you’ve got C.J. Stroud, the young gun who seems completely immune to pressure.
Stroud didn't just play well; he played composed. By leading Houston to this win, he joined an elite tier of QBs like Russell Wilson and Joe Flacco who managed to snag a playoff win in each of their first three seasons. That's not just luck. That's a franchise-altering talent.
On the flip side, Rodgers looked every bit of 42. He was sacked four times by a Houston defense that looked like they were shot out of a cannon. If this was indeed the "Last Dance" for Rodgers, it wasn't the cinematic ending anyone in Pittsburgh was hoping for.
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Why This Game Mattered (Beyond the Score)
There are a few reasons why people are still buzzing about who played NFL Monday night. For one, Mike Tomlin is now tied for the longest playoff losing streak by a head coach in NFL history. Seven straight losses. That’s a heavy stat for a coach who has never had a losing regular season.
Then there’s the "road curse." Before this game, the Houston Texans were 0-6 in road playoff games over their entire 24-year history. They didn't just break the curse; they shattered it.
- The Texans' Defense: Two defensive touchdowns. That’s essentially the game right there.
- The Atmosphere: A drone show celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Terrible Towel was supposed to be the highlight. Instead, the highlight for Houston fans was seeing the stadium empty out halfway through the fourth quarter.
- The ManningCast: Even Peyton and Eli seemed a bit stunned on the ESPN2 broadcast. When the Mannings run out of jokes and start analyzing a blowout, you know it's getting ugly.
What’s Next for the Winners?
So, the Texans move on. They aren't just a "happy to be here" story anymore. They are heading to Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots this coming Sunday. That’s going to be a chess match between DeMeco Ryans and a New England team that has looked revitalized.
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Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is entering a long, cold offseason of "what ifs." Does Rodgers retire? Does the front office finally look at the coaching staff differently? It’s going to be a loud few months in the Steel City.
Actionable Insights for the Divisional Round:
If you're looking to follow the momentum from Monday night, keep an eye on the Texans’ pass rush. They are playing with a "nothing to lose" aggression that is incredibly hard to scheme against. For the upcoming weekend:
- Check the Betting Lines early: Houston opened as underdogs again for the Patriots game, which feels like a mistake given their current 10-game heater.
- Watch the Injury Reports: Both teams came out of Monday relatively healthy, but cold-weather games tend to reveal "lingering" issues by mid-week.
- Monitor the Weather in Foxborough: Sunday in New England won't be much warmer than Monday in Pittsburgh, and we've seen how Stroud handles the chill now.
The Wild Card round is officially in the books. The Texans are for real, the Steelers are in transition, and Monday night football just reminded everyone why the playoffs are the most unpredictable weeks in sports.