Steelers Open as Slight Underdogs Against Texans

Matchup Preview

The Steelers last faced off against Houston in Week 4 of the 2023 campaign, which resulted in a 30-6 victory for the Texans at NRG Stadium.

Since the two teams haven't played one another for two-straight regular seasons, though, it's a bit tough to gauge how this bout will ultimately turn out.

Pittsburgh's passing offense was a bit of a mess over the final two weeks of the regular season without DK Metcalf, who was serving a suspension stemming from a fan altercation, but Aaron Rodgers was still sharp enough to lead the Steelers to a win over the Ravens .

Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell combined for 173 yards from scrimmage vs. Baltimore and should continue to garner a significant amount of touches moving forward, including against Houston.

The Steelers' defense, meanwhile, got T.J. Watt back from a partially collapsed lung that he underwent surgery for in mid-December, and he logged four pressures with an interception against the Ravens. Cam Heyward also turned in one of his best performances in recent memory with seven tackles.

The Texans are a scary opponent, though, as C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins and company are capable of putting up a healthy amount of points on anyone.

The team's real calling card, however, is their defense. The unit allowed the fewest yards (277.2) and second-fewest points (17.4) per game this year to go alongside 29 total forced turnovers, which placed third in the league.

Can Pittsburgh Pull Off the Upset?

The last time Pittsburgh squared off against an elite defensive group, it fell by a score of 13-6 to the Browns with a chance to clinch the AFC North in Week 17.

The Steelers also lost to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, Los Angeles Chargers in Week 10 and Buffalo Bills in Week 13, all of whom are among the top defenses in the league. On the flip side, they did defeat the New England Patriots in Week 3, Minnesota Vikings in Week 4 and Browns in Week 6, all of whom fall under that same category.

Houston's the more well-rounded squad and is entering the postseason on a nearly double-digit win streak as previously mentioned, meaning it'll be a tough out.

Given the way that Pittsburgh's defense has looked for the better part of a month, however, and with Metcalf set to return, the Steelers certainly have a chance to send the Texans home early in front of their home crowd.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 

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