The path has been set for C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. Now, they must clear it.
The Texans are playing in the final game of Wild Card weekend, on the road. So, they know exactly who they would play if they advance to the Divisional Round. That means taking down the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night.
Still, there is value in knowing what could be to come while awaiting the final result of the opening week of the NFL postseason.
Texans Would Face Fitting Opponent in Divisional Playoffs
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans leaves the field after defeating the Indianapolis Colts.
Stroud and the Texans get the benefit of clarity by playing in the final game of Wild Card weekend, even though their mission remains the same.
Sunday settled the AFC playoff bracket with the Buffalo Bills defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first game, and the New England Patriots following suit against the Los Angeles Chargers in the nightcap.
Stroud and the Texans would face the Patriots, the No. 2 seed, if they advance.
That is as the Bills move on to visit the No. 1-seeded Denver Broncos for the right to move on to Conference Championship weekend.
The Texans faced the Bills, Broncos, and Jaguars during the regular season, only emerging from the game against Buffalo victorious. They did not face the Patriots, but did defeat them in New England–where next week’s game would be played–in Week 6.
The NFL announced earlier on January 11 that the game will be on Sunday, January 19.
Texans general manager Nick Caserio spent 20 years with the Patriots organization, and multiple players–including starting right tackle Trent Brown–were drafted by or played for New England.
Texans Could Face MVP Next Round
GettyDrake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots warms up before facing the Baltimore Ravens.
Stroud and the Texans’ offense will face the Patriots’ fourth-ranked scoring and eighth-ranked overall defense during the regular season.
On the flip side, their No. 2 scoring and No. 1 overall D will face the potential MVP.
Patriots QB Drake Maye overtook Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford as the betting favorite to win the award during the regular season. Stafford has since retaken the betting lead, but Maye’s candidacy speaks volumes about the second-year passer.
Maye completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception in the win over the Chargers.
He notably added another 66 yards on 10 carries.
That dual-threat ability is what the Texans’ defense must be most wary of, given their struggles with mobile QBs at times during the regular season. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans also lamented their propensity for allowing big plays defensively towards the end of the slate.
Texans-Steelers By The Numbers
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans scrambles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Texans won nine straight games to end the regular season, overcoming a 0-3 start to give themselves a shot at the AFC South crown down the stretch. They fell short, but Stroud has spoken confidently about the Texans’ trajectory.
Their offense ranked 13th in scoring and 18th overall during the regular season.
However, they went from averaging 21 points per game over their first eight outings to 26.2 PPG during their win streak to end the season.
The Steelers ranked 17th in scoring and 26th overall defensively, with their run D (13th) stronger than their pass coverage (29th), which bodes well for Stroud and a Texans passing game that ranked 14th in 2025.
Houston’s run game was also 22nd, giving them even more reason to get the pass game going.
Offensively, the Steelers ranked 15th in PPG and 25th overall, which also bodes well for the Texans–and Stroud–as they set out to clear their path to the Patriots.
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