The Houston Texans had never won a road playoff game. Not once in 24 years and six attempts. On January 12, 2026, at a frigid Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, they put that on the record, and they did it decisively. By the time the fourth quarter ended, the Steelers had been held to six points, zero touchdowns, and 175 total yards against a Houston defense that head coach DeMeco Ryans called the best performance in the franchise’s history.
C.J. Stroud threw for 250 yards and a touchdown despite three turnovers. Woody Marks carried 19 times for 112 yards and a score. Christian Kirk hauled in 8 catches for 144 yards on the night. On the Pittsburgh side, Aaron Rodgers finished 17-for-33 for 146 yards and a 50.8 passer rating in what may have been the final game of his NFL career.
Below is the complete box score, player stats, and breakdown from the 2026 AFC Wild Card between Houston and Pittsburgh.
Table of Contents
Game Information
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Date | Monday, January 12, 2026 |
| Venue | Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Attendance | 67,297 |
| Weather | 32°F, wind 9 mph, humidity 58% |
| Vegas Line | Houston -3.0 |
| Over/Under | 38.5 (Under) |
| Broadcast | ESPN / ABC |
| Game Duration | 2:57 |
Final Score
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans (13-5) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 23 | 30 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (10-8) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Scoring Summary
| Qtr | Time | Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 6:02 | PIT | Chris Boswell 32-yd FG | HOU 0 – PIT 3 |
| Q2 | 8:28 | HOU | Christian Kirk 6-yd TD pass from C.J. Stroud (Fairbairn kick good) | HOU 7 – PIT 3 |
| Q2 | 1:57 | PIT | Chris Boswell 35-yd FG | HOU 7 – PIT 6 |
| Q4 | 13:07 | HOU | Ka’imi Fairbairn 51-yd FG | HOU 10 – PIT 6 |
| Q4 | 11:23 | HOU | Sheldon Rankins 33-yd fumble return TD (Fairbairn kick good) | HOU 17 – PIT 6 |
| Q4 | 3:38 | HOU | Woody Marks 13-yd rush TD (Fairbairn kick good) | HOU 24 – PIT 6 |
| Q4 | 2:39 | HOU | Calen Bullock 50-yd interception return TD (Fairbairn PAT failed) | HOU 30 – PIT 6 |
How the Game Played Out
Pittsburgh took the early lead on a Boswell field goal and had every reason to feel good about it. Houston was loose with the ball in the first half — Stroud fumbled twice and threw an interception, handing the Steelers three extra possessions. Pittsburgh scored three points off all of it.
The Texans went 92 yards in 16 plays and 7:01 on a second-quarter drive that started at their own 8-yard line. Stroud capped it with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kirk. After a second Boswell field goal made it 7-6 at halftime, the game settled into a defensive standoff through the third quarter. Pittsburgh punted four times and gave Houston the ball back on its own 4-yard line off a Brandin Echols interception of Stroud deep in Steelers territory. The Steelers ran eight plays from their own end zone and punted without a first down. The third quarter ended scoreless.
Then the fourth quarter collapsed on Pittsburgh entirely.
Will Anderson and Sheldon Rankins sacked Rodgers on third-and-12. The ball came loose. Rankins picked it up and ran 33 yards untouched. Houston led 17-6. Marks’ 13-yard touchdown run with 3:38 remaining put it out of reach. Calen Bullock intercepted Rodgers’ final pass of the game on 4th-and-5 and returned it 50 yards for the score. Rodgers gave chase and couldn’t get there.
“Every time we go out there, we show (we’re the best). We went out there and showed it today. I don’t think they even scored a touchdown.” — Calen Bullock, Houston Texans S
They didn’t.
Full Team Stats
| Stat | Houston | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 408 | 175 |
| Net Passing Yards | 244 | 112 |
| Rushing Yards | 164 | 63 |
| Total Plays | 66 | 56 |
| Yards Per Play | 6.2 | 3.1 |
| First Downs | 21 | 13 |
| Passing First Downs | 12 | 7 |
| Rushing First Downs | 8 | 5 |
| Penalty First Downs | 1 | 0 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency | 10/15 (67%) | 2/14 (14%) |
| 4th Down Conversions | 0/0 | 2/3 |
| Total Drives | 9 | 11 |
| Avg Yards Per Drive | 41.1 | 10.9 |
| Avg Points Per Drive | 3.3 | 0.5 |
| Red Zone (Made-Att) | 2/3 | 0/2 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 2 |
| Fumbles Lost | 2 | 1 |
| Interceptions Thrown | 1 | 1 |
| Sacks Allowed (Yds Lost) | 3 (6 yds) | 4 (36 yds) |
| Penalties | 6 for 44 yds | 3 for 24 yds |
| Time of Possession | 32:22 | 27:38 |
The third-down numbers are where this game lived. Houston converted 67% of third downs. Pittsburgh converted 14%, punted six times, and finished both red zone possessions without a touchdown.
Houston Texans Player Stats
Passing
| Player | Comp/Att | Yards | YPA | TD | INT | Sacks | Yds Lost | Passer Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.J. Stroud | 21/32 | 250 | 7.8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 86.7 |
Despite three turnovers, Stroud converted 10 of 15 third downs and led a 16-play, 92-yard touchdown drive that was the offensive backbone of the win. Per PFF, he faced a 14.3% pressure rate on 35 dropbacks and posted a 70.0% adjusted completion percentage.
Rushing
| Player | Carries | Yards | YPC | TD | Long | Yds Before Contact | Yds After Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woody Marks | 19 | 112 | 5.9 | 1 | 20 | 3.1 | 2.8 |
| Nick Chubb | 10 | 48 | 4.8 | 0 | 9 | 2.8 | 2.0 |
| Cade Stover | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| C.J. Stroud | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Team | 31 | 164 | 5.3 | 1 | 20 |
Marks was the best offensive player on the field for most of the night. His fourth-quarter 13-yard touchdown run was the play that officially put the game away. Chubb added 48 yards in a shared role, picking up two first downs in the second and fourth quarters.
Receiving
| Player | REC | TGT | Yards | YPR | TD | Long | YAC | 1D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Kirk | 8 | 9 | 144 | 18.0 | 1 | 46 | 56 | 6 |
| Jayden Higgins | 3 | 4 | 39 | 13.0 | 0 | 16 | 12 | 3 |
| Xavier Hutchinson | 2 | 4 | 21 | 10.5 | 0 | 16 | 9 | 1 |
| Nico Collins | 3 | 7 | 21 | 7.0 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 1 |
| Cade Stover | 2 | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
| Dalton Schultz | 3 | 4 | 12 | 4.0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Woody Marks | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| Jaylin Noel | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| Team | 21 | 32 | 250 | 11.9 | 1 | 46 | 12 |
Kirk earned the game’s highest offensive PFF grade at 92.7. Eight catches on nine targets, 144 receiving yards, a touchdown, six first downs, and 56 yards after the catch. His 36-yard reception on third-and-5 in the first quarter kept Houston’s opening drive alive. He was the best receiver on the field by a significant margin.
Pittsburgh Steelers Player Stats
Passing
| Player | Comp/Att | Yards | YPA | TD | INT | Sacks | Yds Lost | Passer Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | 17/33 | 146 | 4.4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 36 | 50.8 |
| Mason Rudolph | 1/1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79.2 |
| Team | 18/34 | 148 | 4.3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 36 |
Rodgers was under pressure on 35.1% of his dropbacks per PFF. The Houston front four sacked him four times for 36 yards in losses. Eight of his 33 attempts were either throwaways (4), drops (2), or batted passes (2). His last pass of the game was a forced fourth-down throw that Bullock intercepted.
Rushing
| Player | Carries | Yards | YPC | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Warren | 12 | 43 | 3.6 | 0 | 12 |
| Kenneth Gainwell | 6 | 20 | 3.3 | 0 | 14 |
| Team | 18 | 63 | 3.5 | 0 | 14 |
Pittsburgh’s combined rushing output was 63 yards on 18 carries. Per PFF, Steelers ball carriers averaged 1.1 yards before contact per attempt — Houston’s run defense gave nothing early in any play.
Receiving
| Player | REC | TGT | Yards | YPR | TD | Long | YAC | 1D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK Metcalf | 2 | 5 | 42 | 21.0 | 0 | 25 | 29 | 2 |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling | 3 | 5 | 26 | 8.7 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 1 |
| Kenneth Gainwell | 4 | 6 | 26 | 6.5 | 0 | 12 | 24 | 0 |
| Adam Thielen | 2 | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 0 | 21 | 9 | 2 |
| Pat Freiermuth | 1 | 3 | 18 | 18.0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 1 |
| Calvin Austin III | 3 | 6 | 8 | 2.7 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Jaylen Warren | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonnu Smith | 2 | 3 | -1 | -0.5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Team | 18 | 31 | 148 | 8.2 | 0 | 25 |
Metcalf returned from a two-game suspension and was limited to two catches for 42 yards. An early second-quarter drop on a catchable ball in Houston territory was one of several chances Pittsburgh failed to convert before halftime.
Houston Texans Defense
| Player | Pos | Total | Solo | Ast | Sacks | TFL | QB Hits | PD | INT | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Pitre | S | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Henry To’oTo’o | LB | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Azeez Al-Shaair | LB | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kamari Lassiter | CB | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tommy Togiai | DT | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Damone Clark | LB | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calen Bullock | S | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Jaylen Reed | S | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Anderson Jr. | ED | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sheldon Rankins | DT | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Naquan Jones | DT | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamal Hill | LB | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Danielle Hunter | ED | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denico Autry | DT | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Derek Barnett | ED | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derek Stingley Jr. | CB | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Myles Bryant | CB | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tremon Smith | CB | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hunter led all pass rushers with six total pressures on 43 snaps (PFF). Pitre was the most active run defender with seven tackles, five solo, and four run stops. Rankins had 1.5 sacks and returned the fourth-quarter fumble 33 yards for a touchdown.
Pittsburgh Steelers Defense
| Player | Pos | Total | Solo | Ast | Sacks | TFL | QB Hits | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Queen | LB | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | ED | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chuck Clark | S | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kyle Dugger | S | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Harmon | DT | 6 | 2 | 4 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Herbig | ED | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keeanu Benton | DT | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | S | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | LB | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cameron Heyward | DT | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandin Echols | CB | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Joey Porter Jr. | CB | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Malik Harrison | LB | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Sawyer | ED | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Highsmith | ED | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Asante Samuel Jr. | CB | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Queen was Pittsburgh’s most active defender at 10 tackles. Echols intercepted Stroud in the third quarter at the Pittsburgh 4-yard line — a turnover that should have given the Steelers life. They ran eight plays from inside their own 5 and punted.
Special Teams: Full Stats
Kicking
| Player | Team | FG/Att | FG% | Long | XPM/A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ka’imi Fairbairn | HOU | 1/1 | 100% | 51 | 3/4 | 6 |
| Chris Boswell | PIT | 2/2 | 100% | 35 | 0/0 | 6 |
Punting
| Player | Team | Punts | Yards | Avg | Long | In 20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy Townsend | HOU | 3 | 125 | 41.7 | 60 | 1 | 0 |
| Corliss Waitman | PIT | 6 | 273 | 45.5 | 56 | 4 | 0 |
Kick Returns
| Player | Team | Ret | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylin Noel | HOU | 3 | 59 | 19.7 | 22 | 0 |
| Kenneth Gainwell | PIT | 4 | 100 | 25.0 | 28 | 0 |
Punt Returns
| Player | Team | Ret | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylin Noel | HOU | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 12 | 0 |
| Calvin Austin III | PIT | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 14 | 0 |
Three Plays That Decided This Game
1. The 16-play drive (Q2, 8:28 remaining) Starting at their own 8-yard line with 29 seconds left in the first quarter, Houston ran 16 plays over 7:01 and 92 yards. Stroud finished it with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kirk. Pittsburgh never scored again from an offensive drive.
2. Rankins’ fumble return (Q4, 11:23 remaining) On third-and-12 from the Pittsburgh 43, Will Anderson and Rankins combined for a sack on Rodgers. The ball came loose. Rankins picked it up and scored from 33 yards out. Houston 17, Pittsburgh 6. From that point, Pittsburgh ran 14 plays and gained 26 yards.
3. Bullock’s pick-six (Q4, 2:39 remaining) On 4th-and-5, Rodgers threw a deep ball intended for Freiermuth. Bullock read it the entire way, stepped in front of it at midfield, and returned it 50 yards untouched. Rodgers gave chase. He never got close.
What This Game Meant
This was the first road playoff win in Houston Texans history. The franchise had been 0-for-6 on the road in the postseason across 24 years.
For Pittsburgh, it was their seventh straight playoff loss — tying Marvin Lewis and the Cincinnati Bengals for the longest postseason losing streak in NFL history. The Steelers have not won a playoff game since January 2017.
“We’re here for it all. I won’t sugarcoat it, won’t dance around that topic. We’re here for the whole thing.” — Sheldon Rankins
On Rodgers, who played the 2025 season at 42 years old and finished with 3,332 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions in the regular season, the question of retirement was left open after the game. His four sacks, 50.8 rating, and the final interception-returned-for-a-touchdown made the night one he acknowledged without deflection.
“I’m not going to make any emotional decisions,” Rodgers said. “I’m disappointed. Obviously, it was such a fun year. A lot of adversity but a lot of fun.”
The Houston Texans extended their winning streak to 10 games. They came into Pittsburgh having never won a road playoff game, on a night that was 32 degrees and loud, against a team built for exactly this environment. The final score was 30-6. The Texans outgained Pittsburgh by 233 yards, converted 67% of their third downs, and held the Steelers to zero offensive touchdowns.
That was the franchise’s first road playoff win. It looked like it had been coming for a while.
