Texans vs Steelers: schedule, TV – how and where to watch the NFL Wild Card clash

The Wildcard round closes with the Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in the now-traditional Monday Night Football finale. Aaron Rodgers and company will look to make the most of home field and punch their ticket to the next round, but standing in their way is a team that has proven extremely hard to crack.

Houston finished the regular season with 12 wins and just five losses, a record built largely on defensive dominance. The Texans ended the year as the league’s second-best defense, a unit coordinated by Matt Burke that allowed only 17.4 points per game.

One of the biggest threats to Rodgers is Danielle Hunter, who is coming off a regular season with 15 sacks. Despite that production, he was left out of the Pro Bowl and is widely regarded as one of the league’s most undervalued defensive linemen. Only Myles Garrett and Brian Burns recorded more quarterback sacks.

On offense, CJ Stroud did not have a breakout season, but his numbers were more than solid. He finished with 3,041 passing yards and 19 touchdowns, with Nico Collins as his main downfield weapon. Perhaps most impressive was his ball security, throwing just eight interceptions all season – fewer than Josh Allen, Brock Purdy, Bo Nix, Patrick Mahomes, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert.

The Steelers’ path to the playoffs was dramatic. Their spot was secured after Tyler Loop missed what looked like a routine 44-yard field goal. That miss sent Pittsburgh through and marked Mike Tomlin’s 20th playoff game as a head coach. His postseason record currently stands at 8–11.

Stability finally arrived under center for Pittsburgh with Rodgers, who closed the regular season with 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions. The Steelers finished 10–7, a record that raised as many questions as it answered, despite notable wins over Baltimore and New England. This Monday, however, represents a far more demanding challenge.

What time is Texans vs Steelers in the NFL Wildcard round?

Rodgers silenced critics by guiding Pittsburgh into the playoffs, but the task becomes much tougher against one of the league’s elite defenses. The Texans and Steelers will meet in the Wildcard round on Monday, January 12, with kickoff scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. CT, 5:15 p.m. PT).

What channel is Texans vs Steelers on in the US?

As the game that effectively sets the entire Divisional Round bracket and closes out the first weekend of the playoffs, this is not one to miss. The Texans–Steelers matchup will air live in the United States on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.

How to watch Texans vs Steelers online

Live coverage of the Houston Texans vs Pittsburgh Steelers Wildcard game from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will also be available right here on AS USA, with a full preview and minute-by-minute updates throughout the game from our inimitable Dane Arlauckas.

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