The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered a crushing 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the AFC wild-card round, abruptly ending their season.
The 24-point margin marked the largest home playoff loss in franchise history, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. It also added to the recent history of postseason disappointment for Pittsburgh, which has now lost seven straight playoff games dating back to the 2016 AFC Championship Game, with the last five defeats coming by double digits.
Much of the frustration centered once again on the Steelers’ offense — a glaring weakness that has persisted under head coach Mike Tomlin over the past several seasons.
Pittsburgh attempted to address those issues this offseason by adding veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers and trading for wide receiver DK Metcalf. Against Houston, however, the pairing failed to deliver.
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After missing the final two regular-season games due to suspension, Metcalf was expected to provide a major boost to the Steelers’ offense. That spark never materialized.
Rodgers targeted Metcalf early, connecting on a 17-yard gain on the second play from scrimmage. On Pittsburgh’s second possession, Rodgers found him again for 25 yards on a drive that eventually ended in a field goal.
That proved to be the last meaningful connection between the two. On the next possession, facing second-and-10 from Pittsburgh’s own 44-yard line, Metcalf dropped a very catchable pass that would have moved the chains and potentially more, leaving Rodgers in disgust.
The drive stalled shortly afterward with Pittsburgh gaining only five yards on the next play, forcing a punt. The Texans scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive.
“This game has totally changed after the Metcalf drop,” Steelers correspondent Mark Kaboly said.
When asked about the play after the game, Metcalf was blunt.
“S***, I dropped the ball,” he said.
Rodgers did not target Metcalf again until late in the fourth quarter, when the game was already out of reach — something ESPN broadcaster Joe Buck noted multiple times during the broadcast.
Metcalf finished with two receptions on five targets for 42 yards, ironically leading the Steelers in receiving.
DK Metcalf Reveals If He Wants to Play With Aaron Rodgers Again
Following such a lopsided loss, questions naturally arose about the dynamic between Rodgers and Metcalf moving forward.
When asked if he would like Rodgers to return next season, Metcalf did not hesitate.
“I’m gonna let everybody settle down and give them, like, a month or two off,” Metcalf said, via Brendan Howe. “But hopefully he comes back next year.”
Rodgers, for his part, said he was not ready to make a decision on his future.
“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. It’s been a great year.”
Despite their struggles against Houston, Rodgers and Metcalf still put together a productive season overall. Rodgers threw for more than 3,000 yards for the 15th time in his career, while Metcalf led Pittsburgh in both receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
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