Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach Demeco Ryans on the sidelines with linebacker Azeez al-Shaair (0) during the second half Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Texans Defense Proves Why They Can Win Super Bowl

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jan 14, 2026 12:30 PM ET

The Houston Texans flexed their muscles on defense in their 30-6 win in the wild card round against the Pittsburgh Steelers inside Acrisure Stadium.

The Texans' offense managed to score just one touchdown in the first half, and it was 10-6 midway through the fourth quarter, but the defense turned it on, scoring two touchdowns in route to a blowout win over the Steelers. Texans defensive back Calen Bullock, who scored on an interception, spoke about how the defense carries itself.

“Every single day we come to the building, that’s our mindset,” Bullock said via The Athletic insider Mike Jones. “We’re the best defense, so we’ve got to show it, and we got to work throughout the week to prove that we are the best defense. So when we go out there and we’ve got that confidence, nothing could hold us back but ourselves.”

Michael Longo/For USA Today Network-PA / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texans Defense Makes Them Scary

The defense has proven itself all season long, leading the league in yards allowed and applying pressure on all three levels. There may have been some demons to get past because the Texans had not won a road playoff game in franchise history before beating the Steelers, but they were able to make the most of the opportunity in Pittsburgh.

“We said, ‘OK, what we did in the regular season, it ain’t gonna matter when we get into the playoffs. But we want to keep that same energy that we had in the regular season rolling, man,” Will Anderson Jr. said via Jones.

“The whole week was about our foundation of just swarming, our foundation of being detailed, executing the fundamentals and just running and attacking. We said, ‘Run the defense. You don’t have to do anything out of the ordinary. You don’t have to do anything that you haven’t been doing all season. Just run the defense and make big plays that you need to make.’”

The fact that the defense was able to carry into the postseason is a huge confidence boost for the Texans. They will face tougher offenses down the road, but the fact that they were able to be so dominant in a postseason setting is a great sign for what's to come.

The Texans are back in action on Sunday when they visit Drake Maye and the New England Patriots inside Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the game on ABC or ESPN. It can also be streamed on the ESPN app.

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

More must-reads: