The Texans ‘MVB’ that nobody expected steps up for Steelers Wild Card test

Ahead of Monday night’s Wild Card clash against the Pittsburgh Steelers, it felt right to point to one sometimes overlooked aspect of the Houston Texans’ season thus far. It’s been impossible to miss, really. That thing is that whenever things get tense, the loudest cheers seem to come when the team kicker jogs onto the field.

That kicker is Ka’imi Fairbairn, and heading into the postseason, he might quietly be Houston’s most important weapon.

Fairbairn ties long-standing kicking record

Fairbairn finished the regular season by doing something that sounds like a typo: he made six field goals in one game, including the winner in the final minute. That brought his season total to 44, tying a long-standing NFL record set by David Akers back in 2011.

I had to look that up twice to be sure.

Even more absurd is how routine it all felt. Fairbairn missed just four field goals all season, went a perfect 28-for-28 on extra points, and scored 160 points by himself. For a team that won plenty of close games on the way to a 12–5 record and the AFC’s No. 5 seed, that reliability could be seen more as a survival technique rather than just a bonus. Check out these stats, with a nod to our friends at Sofascore.

More than best supporting actor

With the Golden Globes fresh in mind – here are all the winners from last night – it would normally be the case to describe a team’s kicker as very much a supporting actor. And Fairbairn doesn’t exactly scream main character: minimal celebrations, light on chat. I loved the simplicity of him saying: “Whenever my number is called, you just go out and execute.”

That may be one of the least viral quotes of the season, but it explains a lot. He seems to live in a world of repetition. Same steps, same swing, same result. Over and over again.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans put it more bluntly. “You can take it for granted when you have such a great kicker who can secure you points.”

Individual Special Teams recognition for Fairbairn

Fairbairn’s late-season surge earned him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors and helped create a rare streak of Texans players winning weekly awards. It also reinforced something fans already knew: when Houston needs points, this guy delivers.

That matters even more in the playoffs, where games tend to tighten up (as we’ve seen over the weekend) and field goals suddenly feel more crucial than ever, with even more on the line. Against a Steelers team that tends not to give too much away easily, every kick could tilt the night.

If Houston advances, I’m thinking there’s a good chance fans will have one of the team’s quietest stars to thank. Their Hawaiʻi native with a most valuable boot.

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