PITTSBURGH – If this Monday night playoff game had been a boxing match, the Texans landed enough knockout punches to rival Mike Tyson.
The Texans’ top-ranked defense showcased just why they’ve established themselves as the new gold standard as they absolutely bullied the Pittsburgh Steelers and veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers in perhaps the final game of his career.
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No one plays defense quite like the Texans and how they unleash a relentless hit parade on quarterbacks. There isn’t a secondary as loaded with talent as them across the league.
And they displayed skill, aggressiveness and strategy along with speed as safety Calen Bullock and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins both scored touchdowns in a 30-6 triumph for the first road playoff win in franchise history. The Texans, on an NFL-leading 10-game winning streak, advanced to the AFC divisional round where they’ll face the New England Patriots next Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
“I think everybody knew we the best defense, and the whole world know that,” said Bullock, who returned a Rodgers interception 50 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter for the last touchdown of the game. “Every time we go out there, we show it. I’ve been watching Aaron Rodgers since I was in elementary school. Just to get that pick-six on him, that’s going to get framed.
“We take all the pride. We like that chip on our shoulder. That’s our mindset. We gotta show it. We’ve got that confidence. Couches believe in us. They believe we’e got the guys to do it and we trust each other and go out and play fast.”
It wasn’t even competitive between the Texans and Steelers despite three uncharacteristic turnovers from quarterback C.J. Stroud.
They throttled Rodgers four times for sacks and hit him a dozen times. They held the Steelers to 175 yards of total offense, with 13 first downs, going 2 of 14 on third downs and 0 for 2 in the red zone.
“Those boys did a phenomenal job,” Texans offensive lineman Tytus Howard said. “That was one of the best defensive performances I’ve ever seen in a playoff. Those boys, defensive line, was eating. That’s just something they’ve done all year. We know that if we can put up some points on offense, we know how to give us a chance every week.”
Rodgers, a future Hall of Fame quarterback, completed just 51.5 percent of his throws.
“What a game,” said Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, a former Pro Bowl linebacker and the architect of the NFL’s stingiest defense. “It was an outstanding defensive performance, one of the best that I’ve seen versus a really talented offense, a talented quarterback who has played at a high level for a long time.
“I think this is the best performance we’ve had in our team history, so I’m proud of our guys for that. To limit the points, to take the football away, not only just take it away, but to go score. You get two defensive touchdowns, that’s a big deal. Doesn’t happen much.”
The Texans body slammed the Steelers’ anemic offense.
They held them to 81 yards after halftime. Other than a pair of field goals from former Rice kicker Chris Boswell, the Steelers were completely shut out with no touchdowns scored. This is their seventh consecutive playoff loss under coach Mike Tomlin, a former Super Bowl winner.
Steelers star wide receiver DK Metcalf was shut down after catching two passes for 42 yards early in the game. He also had a costly dropped pass.
A Stroud touchdown pass to Christian Kirk proved to be the game-winning points.
How do the Texans maintain this intensity and high standard every week? By playing for each other.
“I feel like it’s because guys are locked in on their jobs,” said second-team All-Pro defensive end Danielle Hunter after recording his 16th sack of the season and forcing a Rodgers fumble that Rankins returned 33 yards for a touchdown. “There’s not no guy that’s trying to bust something and do something for them. They’re doing what they’re told.(Because we do our part and everybody does their part. Everything just works together.”
The Texans are chasing down quarterbacks, and chasing history, striving to do something unprecedented in team history. No Texans team has ever reached the AFC championship game, going 0-6 previously in the divisional round. The Texans have deep Super Bowl ambitions.
Now, the Texans take on a Patriots squad led by coach Mike Vrabel and MVP candidate quarterback Drake Maye.
They do so riding a lofty showing, making one of the most decorated quarterbacks in NFL history in Rodgers look average.
“Man, that was a stellar performance by not only the defense, but this whole team,” Texans first-team All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. after recording a forced fumble, three quarterback hits and one forced fumble. “When we talk about defense, we talk about swarming. The biggest thing we was talking about, ‘Okay, what we did in the regular season, it ain’t going to matter when we get into the playoffs.’ We wanted to keep that same energy that we had going into the playoffs,
“Our foundation, just swarming, a foundation of being detailed, executing the fundamentals. Hat’s off to DeMeco of what he’s instilled When he first got here, he said: ‘I want people that swarm. I want a swarm culture.’ And that’s what’s been built here. Our standard is always high.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com