Dec 21, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin before the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Mike Tomlin Sends Strong Praise Toward Texans Defense

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI
By Keith Cummings | Last updated Jan 8, 2026 5:00 PM ET

Mutual respect between Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans and Mike Tomlin with the Pittsburgh Steelers has percolated this week.

Both men are also honed into the areas of strength the opposing team has in abundance ahead of their upcoming Wild Card matchup, and like a great many others, Tomlin just can’t see past the main protagonists who drive the Texans pass rush.

"Will Anderson and Hunter are simply the most dynamic edge rush tandem in the National Football League in 2025," Tomlin said during a recent press conference.

"They got 27 sacks between them. I think it's 12 for Anderson, 15 for Hunter. They're a formidable group. You can talk about the things that you need to do schematically to minimize them and all that. It's nothing that they haven't seen."

Mike Tomlin Has Keen Awareness on Texans' Pass Rush

It hardly comes as a big surprise that most folks, Tomlin included, will opt to focus upon the mayhem Anderson and Hunter have been causing in most opposing backfields this season.

Granted, the Texans pass rush duo undoubtedly stir the pot, but Tomlin knows the impressive defensive secondary in H-Town can similarly carry the load rather impactfully.

"They got a top-flight corner tandem on the outside, and so they rush very well," Tomlin declared. "They cover very well. They're not trying to split the atom schematically. They don't have to when you have corners and edge rushers like that."

Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Irrespective of how well oiled Ryans has got this Houston defensive group, the savvy Steelers aren't going to be found lacking in the least, especially when it comes to scheming up their own solutions.

Make zero doubts about it; simply protecting their far less mobile 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers is going to take a performance for the ages from the Steelers blocking group up front. If he's given precious time, Rodgers' arm is still lively enough to exploit any deep ball deficiencies– alarming blimps which just started to creep in last week for the Texans against the Indianapolis Colts.

On the flip side, Tomlin is guarding diligently against getting caught behind the chains and having to throw the ball when the Texans know it's coming.

"We better stay out of a bunch of one-dimensional passing circumstances, because if we're in those circumstances, we're going to be in trouble," Tomlin admitted on Tuesday. "That's just the reality of it."

As the clock ticks down towards a potential Monday night slugfest, we find that all the key ingredients are there for Ryans and Tomlin to go toe-to-toe in a true heavyweight coaching battle.

This article first appeared on Houston Texans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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