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[Houston Texans]

Value of Things: By the numbers

How sweet it is. Three seasons under DeMeco Ryans and three times the Texans have won big on Wild Card weekend. This time they finally won on the road as they smothered the Pittsburgh Steelers and almost literally put Aaron Rodgers into a sleeper hold. The final score will say this one was a blowout and the numbers will probably tell the same tale, but it did not feel like a blowout through the first three and a half quarters. It took a series of great defensive plays to take the issue out of doubt.

We will go over the numbers as we usually do. There were some major differences in this game that allowed for it to deviate at least in part from the normal Texans victory throughout their ten game winning streak. As per usual, we will look at the great, the good, and the bad as well. However, we always start with the numbers and that is where we are focused.

The Numbers​

• Total Yards: Texans 66/408, Steelers 56/175
• Rushing Yards: Texans 31/164, Steelers 18/63
• Passing Yards: Texans 35/244. Steelers 38/112
• Third Downs: Texans 10/15, Steelers 2/14
• Fourth Downs: Texans 0/0, Steelers 2/3
• Sacks: Texans 4, Steelers 3
• Turnovers: Texans 3, Steelers 2
• Penalties: Texans 6/44, Steelers 3/24
• Time of Possession: Texans 32:22, Steelers 27:38

Obviously, the only category that was radically different was the turnovers. It changed the whole complexion of the game in positive and negative ways. Unlike almost every other game this season, the Texans converted both fourth quarter turnovers into immediate points on returns for touchdowns. On the flip side, the Steelers turned one Stroud fumble into three points when their drive stalled out. The other two turnovers probably removed six points from the board. Otherwise, the numbers above look like they do almost every week.

The Great​

Everybody on the field is paid to play football. This isn’t the SEC battling against the Big Sky conference. The talent differential is just not that great. So, the Steelers offense was going to make some plays. D.K. Metcalf is an accomplished wide receiver. We could debate about whether he is a true number one receiver, but that would be getting into the weeds. Aaron Rodgers can still do some things on a football field. Their running backs are still capable of making guys miss on occasion.

Still, that was as thorough a beatdown as I have ever seen. They really only had one drive of note and it resulted in a field goal. The second field goal was handed to them by Stroud in one of the more inexplicable plays of the season. However, the biggest takeaway is that we aren’t surprised. This did not come out of nowhere. They have been doing this all season. The defense outscored the Steelers 14-6. That’s all you really need to know about this football game.

The Good​

This was Nick Caley’s best day as an NFL offensive coordinator. Sure, the Texans had more sparkling performances along the line during the season, but this was the most complete performance by ten out of eleven players on offense. The only hiccup was a stretch late in the third quarter and early in the fourth when he abandoned the running game. The Steelers did have three sacks, but none of them were of the traditional variety. We will have to get to that in the next category.

The most heartwarming part of that whole thing was the discovery of Christian Kirk. There were many points this year where I just assumed he was washed. I even looked up Spoctrac on occasion to reassure myself that we did not owe him money after this season. He earned a few bucks on this night. I don’t know if it will be in Houston, but he gives this team a fighting chance without Nico Collins. Obviously, the run game will also be huge. Essentially, all of the veteran players you hoped would show up did show up on this night.

The Bad​

Given the stakes of the game, that was C.J. Stroud’s worst game as a Texan. The statistics will say he was 21 of 32 for 250 yards a touchdown and a pick. Going strictly on those numbers would be burying the lede. He fumbled five different times losing two of those fumbles. Many of his throws were off target and required some good efforts from receivers to haul them in. There were a few throws that were fairly easy throws for NFL quarterbacks that he simply did not make.

A very good or perfect performance from Stroud would have probably turned this one into a 40-3 or 43-3 drubbing. So, I suppose if one is wanting to save that for a day when you absolutely need it then it is okay that he didn’t have his fastball on this day. Unfortunately, life does not work that way. The hope is that the moment is not too big for him. Road playoff games are the hardest thing to navigate in sports. Football fans have more of an impact on the game than fans in any other sport. Weather conditions have more of an impact on the game than in any other sport. So, not every quarterback can do it. That is why only a handful make it to the end. He is still young enough to learn from this one and hopefully a different Stroud shows up next week.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houston-texans-analysis/73688/value-of-things-by-the-numbers

 

[Houston Texans]

Divisional Round Opening Odds

We get another week of football, so we have another opportunity to make some money. Fanduel will keep you in the game for as long as we want to keep playing. Gambling is big business and there are any number of ways to play. If you feel confident in your pick on the game then you can double and triple up on your hunch and win big. Of course, on the flip side, if you are less than confident you can hedge your bets and more or less break even if you mix and match.

In this edition, we look at the opening line, the opening money line, and the over/under. The line is the easiest one to understand. It is a simple 50/50 bet (minus the juice) based on the point spread. The money line uses the point spread to allow you to bet on one team or the other to win the game. Finally, the over/under is a simple bet based on the total number of points that will be scored.

The line: New England +3​

The Patriots open up as a three point favorite. Depending on the source, home field advantage is usually worth two to three points on its own, so the smart guys in Vegas seem to think these teams are evenly matched. If this were a regular season game, I would be inclined to pick the Texans. I cannot do that in this instance. The Texans have only won one playoff road game and they have never won a divisional playoff game. I can’t in good conscience pick them to win a divisional playoff game when they’ve never done it.

Of course, they are coming in with a ten game winning streak and so it would be completely understandable for people to take the three points and say thank you. It is hard to go against history on this one. Obviously, streaks are meant to be broken. The Steelers had been undefeated on Monday nights and the Texans had no road playoff wins coming into the wild card round. Both of those streaks came to an end. So, nothing is inevitable. Still, it is hard to bet against history when money is on the line.

The Moneyline: New England -162​

I am stacking this one. This might be an emotional bet on my part. I have been watching Houston professional football since the early 1980s. I have never witnessed a Houston football team go to the conference championship game. I was six years old the last time that happened in 1979. My formative years occurred during the run and shoot era when the Oilers went to the playoffs every year and found ways to lose every single season. You could say that I have Houston football PTSD.

In terms of the actual game itself, the Patriots and the Texans turned in the two best defensive performances in the wild card round. Drake Maye is still an unknown. The Texans have performed well defensively against the other two remaining quarterbacks in the AFC playoffs, but they have not played Maye this year. They played Maye last year and enjoyed a ton of success, but this is a new year and Maye is a different quarterback, The game will come down to which quarterback takes better care of the football. C.J. Stroud’s performance doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence there.

Over/Under: Under 41.5​

I have pounded the under all season and if I had played that bet in all 18 games I would come out a very rich man. The Patriots held the Chargers to three points and the Texans held the Steelers to six points. Odds are excellent that at least one of these two teams is going to struggle to move the football. Odds are good that it will be both teams. Obviously defensive and special teams touchdowns can always throw a monkey in the works, but this bet seems like the most obvious bet.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houston-texans-analysis/73701/divisional-round-opening-odds

 

[Houston Texans]

5 Big Takeaways from the Houston Texans 30-6 Win Over the Steelers

The Houston Texans have done it! After one of the most demoralizing starts to the regular season in recent history, the Texans have fought their way back into the playoffs and have won their first road playoff game in franchise history against the 10-7 Pittsburgh Steelers. With that win, the Texans have sent hall-of-fame QB Aaron Rodgers packing into retirement, sent Steelers’ longtime head coach Mike Tomlin off the podium, and reached the high watermark of every Houston Texans team of the past. That’s right, there has never been a Texans team to reach beyond the divisional round of the postseason, so what special sauce do the 2025 Texans have hidden up their sleeve that will blast them through that glass ceiling? Well, after watching that big wildcard win, I’ve come away with 5 big takeaways that I think Texans fans can hold onto as they prepare for the biggest game of the DeMeco Ryans/CJ Stroud era to date:

1. The entire Texans defense is somehow still getting better.​

Try to remember what you thought of QB Aaron Rodgers four years ago, right after the 2021 season. He’s fresh off of his second MVP season in row, thrown for over 4,000 yards, 37 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions, and his Green Bay Packers just clinched the 1-seed after a dominant regular season. Rodgers was already 38 years old at the time, so many were already wondering when his final season might be here – if it wasn’t here already. What do you think his last game would be like? Would it end in a climatic final playoff game with the Packers, with Rodgers throwing Hail Mary’s until the very end? Would he ride off into the sunset like QB Peyton Manning, winning a Super Bowl in his last game? Or…would it be in a wildcard blowout while he’s playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers? Something tells me you wouldn’t have predicted that last one, and not only has it come true, but his final pass as a Steelers QB (and potentially as an NFL player) will go down as a pick six thrown directly into the hands of Texans S Calen Bullock. Even though these great quarterbacks are held up as kings amongst men, their final moments are often a bit ugly, and Rodgers’ final game was no exception.

The Texans’ vaunted DB corps came to play

H/T @nextgenstats https://t.co/Sq1qFBEs4I pic.twitter.com/PHf5U6ZrV6

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) January 13, 2026

Rodgers knew the danger of targeting Houston’s ball-hawking secondary coming into the game, so for much of the contest, he routinely targeted the flat and space just beyond the line of scrimmage, looking for his RBs or TEs to find an opening and make a play. But, to his surprise, LBs Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o, and S Jalen Pitre stuck to Steelers’ receivers like glue, blasted through would-be blockers, and ruined plays meant to give the Rodgers-led offense a fighting chance. And, when Rodgers wasn’t finding a receiver to quickly take the ball from him, he was in for a world of pain administered by the entire Texans defensive line. It was a complete performance at all levels of the Houston D, but before we give them too much praise, let’s move on to one of the more unlikely bright spots on Monday’s win…the Texans offensive line?

2. The offensive run-blocking was…great?​

Maybe the most stunning development last night was the offensive line, and it wasn’t because they were bad! Ohhhhh, ohhhh how I’ve waited for this moment! So long ago were the days that the Texans offensive line could be described as “bullies” on the field, or “maulers” of the opposing defensive line like they were on Monday. And not against just any defensive line, but the Steelers defensive line? Oh, what a day of days! Even though this offense continues to be as predictable as a slot machine, they continue to piece together long, grinding drives each week. On Monday night, Houston’s heroes on the ground were RG Ed Ingram, C Jake Andrews, and rookie RB Woody Marks. Marks notched the first 100+ yard rushing game of his NFL career, and that credit deserves to go to the whole team, with every lineman, tight end, and wide receiver making a big block at some point or another.

Against the vaunted Pittsburgh run defense, the Texans rushed for 164 yards on 31 attempts (5.3 Y/A) and 1 touchdown, with Woody Marks tallying up 112 rushing yards and Nick Chubb, 48 yards. On multiple first downs, the Texans were able to simply pound their tailbacks straight up the middle for moderate, 4-6-yard gains. This dominance up the middle continued to wear on the Steelers into the second half, with 7 of Houston’s 14 runs in the second half going for over 5 yards. After a performance like this, the big guys up the middle deserve to feel themselves a bit, and it looks like Aireontae Ersery is doing just that:

Tytus Howard on IG: pic.twitter.com/rxVWPL6cjJ

— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) January 13, 2026

I never thought I’d see a picture of Texans offensive line coach Cole Popovich with grills, but I’ll take it! I think here marks as good a place as any to mention a chance encounter between Popovich and a former NFL lineman. At some point in December, Popovich was introduced to former NFL pro-bowl guard Mark Schlereth, and quickly asked him to give the Texans o-line a quick tutorial on how to block the wide zone rushing scheme, with Schlereth offering some testimony of the impromptu seminar here:

It’s a bit of an odd story, but reinforces the perception of the offense’s determination to be a run-heavy team. The Texans have continued to be a primarily gap-scheme based rushing team, but the zone scheme still to hangs around a rears its head for a few plays every week, with Ed Ingram and Jake Andrews looking solid on that front in limited action. But, besides the ground game, the Texans had another unlikely candidate for game MVP on Monday night:

3. Is Christian Kirk actually really good?​

Another unlikely star in Monday night’s victory over the Steelers was WR Chrisitan Kirk, who led the team in receiving with 8 catches on 9 targets for 144 yards and 1 touchdown. The oft-forgotten slot receiver nearly eclipsed his regular season total in receiving yards in just one game, coming up big on three separate third-and-long conversions that alone accounted for 115 yards. These were backbreakers for the Steelers defense, keeping Houston on the field for both of their scoring drives in the fourth quarter.

The Christian Kirk game

— NFL Daily News (@fantasynflnews.bsky.social) 2026-01-13T03:31:45.565Z

Nick Caserio traded for Christian Kirk way back in March for a 2026 seventh-round pick, hoping that he would fill in the position of the currently injured WR Tank Dell as the speedy receiver for Houston’s passing offense. While he never fully realized his potential on the team during the regular season, Kirk more than made up for it on wildcard weekend, practically saving CJ Stroud from his worst performance of his career. In just one game, Kirk showed the route acumen, breakaway speed, and hot-hands that made him one of the highest paid free agents back when the Jaguars signed him in 2022. While his long-term role on the team may be in doubt considering Jaylin Noel’s presence and the looming return of Tank Dell, Christian Kirk can still earn himself plenty more fans in Houston come Sunday when the Texans travel to New England to face the Patriots – potentially without their #1 receiver, Nico Collins. Collins suffered a concussion against the Steelers which will likely keep him out of commission for at least the divisional game and potentially longer, making Kirk’s veteran presence at wideout a cherished asset as the stakes get higher.

Diving catch by Christian Kirk for 36 yards!

— NFL Daily News (@fantasynflnews.bsky.social) 2026-01-13T01:28:39.163Z

4. The defensive line dominates again, and gets its second consecutive touchdown!​

Everyone likes when the big men get a touchdown, but getting two of them in consecutive weeks almost seems like overkill! It’s like the Texans defense is just rubbing it in right in front of opposing teams, ripping their quarterback off of the football like an old band aid and sending their thickest players into the end zone.

A beautiful rumble for Sheldon Rankins.

— Ian Rapoport (@rapsheet.bsky.social) 2026-01-13T03:50:09.416Z

Last week, DT Tommy Togiai put an exclamation point on the season finale against the Indianapolis Colts with a fumble returned for a touchdown, and this week, fellow DT Sheldon Rankins plucked the ball from the grass below him and went streaking into the end zone in a very similar fashion. Rankins’ touchdown came at a critical moment early in the fourth quarter when the Texans were only up 10-6, with his score signaling the feeding frenzy for the team to start. After that unlikely fumble-return touchdown, then Texans outscored the Steelers 13-0 and finished the game with a final score of 30-6. General manager Nick Caserio made the wise decision of bringing back Sheldon Rankins after he departed Houston for Cincinnati in 2024, and Sunday’s defensive touchdown alone made him worth the money.

But, besides just the underrated interior, the entire Texans defensive line was just fantastic. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Texans had a 45.9% pressure rate, while only blitzing four times the entire game, which should be impossible in the modern-day NFL. DEs Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter teamed up for one of their best performances of the season, sacking Rodgers 1.5 times and rushing him into errant passes every other possession. If he was on the fence about retirement, something tells me he’s on the other side of that fence right now.

Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter combined for 15 pressures and 1.5 sacks, leading a Texans pass rush that generated a 45.9% pressure rate.

Aaron Rodgers was pressured on a league-low 21.5% of his dropbacks in the regular season.@HoustonTexans | #HTownMade pic.twitter.com/wJJSOv3Xlc

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 13, 2026

Anderson and Hunter form the best pass-rushing duo in the NFL, and in between them, Tommy Togiai and Sheldon Rankins form arguably the most disruptive interior rush in the NFL. But, despite all of these big plays and good performances, this was still not Houston’s best game of the year, for one very, very large reason. Yes, it’s time to talk about the elephant in the room:

5. …We need to talk about CJ Stroud.​

Out of the world of positives that came out of this game, the lone demerit is from one of the unlikeliest of suspects: QB CJ Stroud. Be it jitters, youth, sickness, or some concoction of unfortunate events, it was clear something was rubbing Stroud the wrong way all game long. At the very minimum, Stroud is normally a clean and efficient quarterback, and at his best, Stroud is one of the best passers in the entire country. But, tonight, in the playoffs, Stroud fumbled the ball away FIVE separate times, had communication errors with his center that led to multiple errant snaps, and threw an ugly interception down at the Steelers 3-yard line right after halftime. If it wasn’t for Houston’s fantastic defense, Stroud could have been the lone player responsible for Houston losing this wildcard game. After a season of largely adequate-to-great performances, what in the world happened to him on Monday night?

In my cursory review of the game since it concluded, the best explanation I can conjure up for Stroud’s struggles is the panic (sometimes warranted, sometimes not) that would course through him every time he was pressured, or perceived pressure inside the pocket. When Steelers LB TJ Watt was fast approaching, CJ Stroud’s efficiency plummeted, and since his favorite target, WR Nico Collins, was often blanketed by Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr., Stroud wasn’t able to fling the ball to his safety net like he’s used to. A combination of this good coverage and pressure is what I believe led Stroud to get a little antsy in the pocket, which led him to make more mistakes in snapping the ball and losing coordination with his center, Jake Andrews. At one point, Stroud and Andrews had decided to practice snapping the ball on the sideline during the wildcard game, which may have led to a calming of his nerves and some improvement down the stretch, but it doesn’t exactly inspire confidence when your star QB is basically cramming for the test minutes before he takes the stage.

The Steelers offense trying to move the ball is like watching a 9 year old play Elden Ring on lethal difficulty and the Texans offense is CJ Stroud punching himself in the nuts

— JP Acosta (@acosta32jp.bsky.social) 2026-01-13T03:18:52.383Z

He looked rattled, and was rattled, for a very long stretch of the game. Besides fumbling, Stroud also hitched with the ball in his hands multiple times, and threw the ball behind his receivers, which is ultimately what led to the interception deep in Pittsburgh territory. Against the New England Patriots, the Texans will lose a game where they turn the ball over six times, just like how the Steelers handed the Pats’ one of their three losses by winning the turnover margin so heavily. Without Nico Collins, there will be even more pressure on CJ Stroud to get over his jitters, stay cool in the pocket, and deliver on time. Will he respond well to the added pressure? Well, Stroud did lose Collins to a concussion earlier in season when the Texans were hosting the the San Francisco 49ers in week 8…and, naturally, he had one of his best games of the season! Against the 49ers, Stroud targeted WRs Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, and Xavier Hutchinson heavily all game, leading to a total of 166 yards and 2 touchdowns between the trio of receivers. By the end of the game, Stroud had completed 30 of his 39 passes for 318 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, and a passer rating of 106.6. If Stroud can recreate that magic once again, he’ll be in good shape to win back everyone’s good graces in the divisional round. If not…well, calls for backup QB Davis Mills to enter the game will just keep growing.

Next week, the Texans will travel to New England to face the red-hot Patriots and their MVP-caliber QB, Drake Maye. How do you think the Texans will perform against him? Will Houston’s defensive line keep him contained, or will Maye cut the secondary to pieces before Will Anderson or Danielle Hunter can get to him? Will Christian Kirk show up big yet again and save Housotn’s hide on third down? Will CJ Stroud have a marvelous comeback performance against the Patriots? Let us know your predictions down in the comments below! For me….man, this is going to be a hard game. I think the defense will take a minor step back from the dominance they showed against the Steelers, but will still hold the blistering Patriots offense below 25 points. CJ Stroud will have a nice comeback performance, but something tells me we’ll be talking a little more about RB Woody Marks than Stroud by the time the game is over…My prediction: Houston: 26, New England: 24. This will be the Stefon Diggs revenge game, who is now New England’s leading receiver, so let’s show him what it’s like to be on the receiving end of this swarming defense!

Go Texans!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/gener...the-houston-texans-30-6-win-over-the-steelers

 

[Houston Texans]

The Day After the Day After: Reliving the Houston Texans’ 30-6 Domination of the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Day After the Day After…when the raw, immediate emotions from the aftermath of a game diminish into the realm of clarity and the proverbial (or literal) hangover no longer haunts the mind. With that, a review of Wild Card Weekend:

So, about that defense?: In the “Well, No [KITTEN] Department” Houston’s playoff success would ride on its defensive success. It would take them a couple of drives to settle in, punctuated by allowing two receptions for 42 yards to DK (aka DJ) Metcalf, returning from a two-game suspension. In the 1st two drives, the Texans allowed 88 yards and 3 points. After that, 87 yards on 8 drives, with 21 of those on the final drive when the game was all but over, with only 3 points allowed, and that on a drive that started inside the HOU 20. Not coincidently, DK (aka DJ) Metcalf became “MIA” Metcalf, as he did nothing else after those first two drives. The Steelers only got 63 yards from their running game, which was so instrumental in taking down Baltimore last week. Forcing Rodgers into a pass-only mode against that pass rush is asking for trouble, and Pittsburgh got all the bad trouble they could ask for, as those final 8 drives yielded 4.0 sacks, 8.0 TFLs and 2 turnovers directly converted into defensive TDs. It was a total team effort, with the DL hounding Rodgers, the LB shutting down the running game and limiting the TE play and the secondary preventing any significant passing damage. Pittsburgh had its worst playoff point total since 1996 and its lowest playoff yardage total since 1947 (175 total yards).

The Big Game Penalties Didn’t Really Materialize: For the game, Houston had 6 accepted penalties for 44 yards. In previous big road games under Ryans, the Texans racked up the flags like they were at a post-Christmas clearance sale. Yet, in this game in one of the more hostile road venues for teams, the team did not fall prey to as many key penalties as they have in the past. Houston only logged two false start penalties, normally a common feature on the road. There was a big DPI on Pittsburgh’s second drive that yielded 3 points, but given the circumstances, Houston played a relatively clean game, penalty-wise.

Streak-busting: A lot of streaks, good and bad, came to an end Monday Night:

• The Texans’ 6-game road playoff losing streak
• Houston’s 2-game Monday Night Football losing streak
• The Steelers’ 22-game home Monday Night Football winning streak
• The City of Houston’s 9-game NFL road playoff game losing streak (last road win for a Houston-based NFL playoff team, 1988 Oilers at Cleveland 24-23)

Some streaks that still survive:

• Houston’s current 10-game winning streak
• Houston’s 3-game Wild Card Round winning streak
• Pittsburgh’s 7-game playoff losing streak

A Night When Special Teams Didn’t Stand Out, but Didn’t Have To: With two of the better special teams units going at it, if figured that these units might ultimately decide the game. Honestly, they really didn’t. Boswell produced the totality of Pittsburgh’s points. Fairbairn was money on a big-time 51-yard FG, but he did have one of the more blunderous XP attempts we’ve ever seen. He’ll get some ribbing in the film sessions. The kick coverage units for Houston were not stellar, as Pittsburgh did get some good yards on their returns. Townsend had a bad punt to start the game but did well enough on his two other punts. For once, Special Teams didn’t really carry the Texans.

THE DECISIVE PLAY:

0:44, 3rd Quarter. HOU ball on its 18, 3rd and 15. CJ Stroud pass to Christian Kirk for 46 yards.

One could say that the Sheldon Rankins fumble recovery for a TD in the 4th quarter was the decisive play, which effectively put the game out of reach by making the score 17-6. However, in reviewing the game, I would go with another big play. Late in the 3rd quarter, the game still stood 7-6. Defenses, and Houston’s offensive miscues, kept this a one-kick game. Houston, after yet another near-disastrous Stroud fumble, faced a 3rd and long, one that if Houston did not convert likely portended the Steelers getting good field position for Rodgers and the Steelers’ magic/bull[KITTEN] to make something happen. Instead, Stroud took the shotgun snap, and with a clean pocket, found a breaking Kirk outracing his defender cutting deep across the field to the right side. Stroud hit Kirk in stride and by the time the Steelers brought him down after a long run after catch along the right sideline, Houston sat with the ball at the PIT 36. 4 plays later, Houston hit a 51-yard FG, upping the lead to 10-6. Here, Houston gained breathing room, knowing that a Boswell kick couldn’t beat them on one drive. That FG kick-started (pun sort of intended) Houston 23-point 4th Quarter, turning a defensive rock fight into a comfortable Texans’ win. Also, it is the 2nd straight WC game where Stroud overcame a bad snap/fumble to make a game-altering play. If Houston doesn’t convert on that 3rd and long, the 4th Quarter might have gone differently.

FUN WITH NUMBERS:

24: Average margin of victory in Wild Card Playoff games under Ryans. With their 30-6 blasting of the Steelers, Houston has won their last three Wild Card games by exactly 24.0 points. In Ryans’ first WC game, they crushed the Browns 45-17. His second WC game saw a 32-12 bludgeoning of the Chargers and you have Monday’s result.

3: Consecutive Wild Card games that Houston logged a INT-returned for a TD. Going back to HOU’s WC dominance, the game against Cleveland saw two Texans log Pick-Sixes, followed by Eric Murray’s Pick-Six against the Chargers. In this game, Houston waited until the bitter end, but Calen Bullock got the obligatory INT for a TD to end the scoring for this game.

GAME BALLS:

OC Nick Caley. Was the offense perfect? No. The final drive before halftime seemed disjointed. However, it is hard to find fault with the play-calling. Execution could have been a lot better (more later). However, the designs, concepts and play-calling itself were not the issue. Caley played to the team’s strength, and Houston was moving the ball on most of its drives. Riding the running game in the 4th Quarter and not trying to force a passing game demonstrated good logic. Also, Houston went 2-for-3 on Red Zone opportunities, with the one failed attempt a bad Stroud throw.

WR Christian Kirk: In this game alone, Kirk validated Houston’s trade with Jacksonville this offseason. 8 receptions/144 yards/1 TD. His two massive 2nd half receptions more than made up for the loss of Nico Collins in the 4th. Houston needs this type of effort next week.

S Jalen Pitre: Pitre was a heat-seeking missile against the Steelers. He was credited with two TFLs as part of his team-leading 7 tackles, but it felt like he was in the backfield more often than most Steelers’ running backs. (Honestly, you could just give the entire defense a game ball. No wrong answers there).

SHOULD BE FORCED TO CLEAN UP A PITTSBURGH BAR FLOOR FULL OF STALE IRON CITY BEER WITH A TORN TERRIBLE TOWEL WHILE LISTENING TO RECORDINGS OF URINATINGTREE STEELERS’ POLKA WHILE GOING YINZER MODE ON REPEAT.

QB CJ Stroud/C Jake Andrews: Expect a LOT of work on the QB/Center exchange this week in practice. Gillette Stadium doesn’t figure to be any easier for ball-handling/snap receiving. How close did Houston come to seeing this turn into a Steelers’ 30-6 win with all of the botched snaps between these two? Both take blame here, as Stroud had trouble handling snaps he was expecting and Andrews sometimes gave Stroud snaps he wasn’t expecting.

QB CJ Stroud’s ball security: Sense a theme here? Would anyone be surprised if Ryans goes all Friday Night Lights and duct-tapes a football to CJ Stroud’s arm for the rest of the week to reinforce ball security? Stroud had a bad INT in the 3rd Quarter, and that wasn’t his worst ball-handling decision in the game. What made this so odd was that Stroud hadn’t fumbled all year, and Houston generally took care of the football. Hopefully for the fans, this is a one-off, but still, expect Stroud’s practice sessions to be sponsored by the words “ball security”.

However uneven, however stressful at times, Houston is moving on to the Divisional Round once again. They return to New England, where they are 0-2 in Divisional Round Matchups, for a Sunday, 2 PM CST kickoff on ESPN/Disney+

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...ns-30-6-domination-of-the-pittsburgh-steelers

 

[Houston Texans]

Calen Bullock expands his game just in time for Texans vs. Patriots in Divisional Round

Now that we’re full-on into the playoffs, it’s time to stop looking in the rearview with our Secret Superstars series, and start looking forward to the next game with Postseason X-Factors. The principle is the same — using game tape and metrics to uncover those hidden gems for every team who are primed to bring their best when their franchises need it the most.

The Houston Texans present all kinds of hidden gems on the defensive side of the ball, but it’s hard to be more impressed with too many second-year defensive players on any NFL team than safety Calen Bullock. The USC alum began his professional career as a remarkable deep safety. Now, he’s adding new colors to his coverage palette, and it’s showing up all over the field.

If Aaron Rodgers returns to the NFL for the 2026 season (no doubt after months and months of self-generated debate on the subject), it could well be because his last throw in a game was so disastrous. With 2:52 left in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 30-6 wild-card thrashing at the hands of the Houston Texans on Monday night, Rodgers tried to hit receiver Calvin Austin III on a three-man frontside vertical concept. What he may not have expected was to see safety Calen Bullock in the slot, backpedaling right to where Rodgers wanted the ball to go. Not that the Texans needed Bullock’s 50-yard pick-six, but it was a nice capper as the Texans move on to meet the New England Patriots in the divisional round.

Calen Bullock has just 60 snaps this season in the slot.

So maybe Aaron Rodgers didn't expect Bullock to be where he was here. pic.twitter.com/Qyqosr2VJF

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 13, 2026

But the most interesting and encouraging thing about this play was Bullock’s presence as a slot defender. Throughout his NFL career, Bullock has been primarily a deep safety, because he became one of the NFL’s best in very short order. In his rookie year of 2024, he lined up in the deep third on an NFL-high 1,063 of his 1,113 snaps, and overall, he allowed 13 catches on 29 targets for 159 yards, two touchdowns, five interceptions, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 45.7.

And if you want consistency from year to year, well, you can’t do much better than this: In his second season, Bullock has lined up in the deep third on 938 of his 1,070 snaps, allowing 17 catches on 36 targets for 247 yards, two touchdowns, five interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 49.0,

I wrote an entire article for Battle Red Blog in late November on why Bullock is so great in the deep third, so feel free to catch up there for the chapter and verse. What interests me now is Bullock’s growth as a defender this season in other areas.

I’m not a huge fan of Bullock as a box defender for several reasons: It takes away his range, his run-tackling is a mixed bag, and the Texans already have Jalen Pitre as the ideal man in that role. But as a shallow coverage safety and slot defender, that’s where he’s showing additional potential. Not that there are a ton of reps to go by there, but that’s the point — when you see Bullock erase receivers over and over from the slot on just 60 snaps, it makes you wonder what he might be able to do if he’s asked to do that more often.

It wasn’t just the pick-six.

Calen Bullock is already the NFL's best deep safety.

This season, he's also been a sneaky eraser from the slot. pic.twitter.com/A6fVlkXC6c

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 13, 2026

Moving Bullock around against the Patriots may or may not happen, of course. Because when it comes to the deep third, they’ll want him on that wall. This season, Drake Maye has completed 36 of 65 passes of 20 or more air yards for 1,120 yards, 10 touchdowns, one interception, and an NFL-best passer rating of 133.5. But for a defense that manages to be truly great without a lot of eye candy — the Texans have blitzed on just 18.9% Of their snaps, and they disguise coverage just 21.4% of the time — moving Bullock around from time to time may fool Maye as it did Aaron Rodgers… at the perfect time.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...bullock-divisional-round-new-england-patriots

 

[Houston Texans]

Texans at Steelers Wild Card Round live game discussion thread

American Hero Case Keenum. | Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

The road for the Texans to make their first Super Bowl begins on the road as this is the first time they’ve gotten to the playoffs as a wild card. Tonight, they enter the Steel City and play T.J. Watt’s AFC North winning (technically) Pittsburgh Steelers.

There are a lot of streaks on the line here.

Steelers have been 0-6 in the playoffs since the 2016 AFC Championship game.
Texans are 0-6 in road playoff games in franchise history.
Pittsburgh has won 23 straight home games on Monday night since 1991.
Houston is riding a nine-game win streak going into tonight.
Pittsburgh has allowed at least 28 points in six straight playoff games.

One or more streaks are going to be broken tonight. Personally, I’m hoping it’s the Steelers streaks.

Let’s get the playoffs started (the games on Saturday and Sunday only count if the Texans win).

Here’s what you need to know to watch tonight’s game:

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Who: Houston Texans (12-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)

What: Wild Card Round

Where: Acrisure Stadium – Pittsburgh, PA

When: Monday January 12, 7:15 p.m. CST

Why: Because only three wins separate the Texans from their first SB appearance.

TV: ESPN (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman) OR ESPN2 (Peyton and Eli Manning)-pick your poison

Radio: Westwood One

Streaming: ESPN*, Fubo*, Hulu + Live Sports*, NFL+*, SlingTV*, YouTubeTV* (*subscription required)

Enjoy the game, y’all.

May the way of DeMeco lead to the Super Bowl.

Go, Texans!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/gener...s-wild-card-round-live-game-discussion-thread

 

[Houston Texans]

Five good Texans questions with Pats Pulpit

The Houston Texans have reached the summit of their own success by advancing to the divisional round for the seventh time in franchise history. Will the seventh time be the lucky charm? We spoke with Taylor Kyles from Pats Pulpit about the upcoming tilt between the Texans and Patriots. This will be the third time the two teams clash in the divisional round. A win against the Pats would go a long way in exorcising some demons.

Battle Red Blog: Drake Maye is obviously the biggest story in New England this season based on his growth from year one to year two. I open the floor to you to make the best MVP case you can for him.

Taylor Kyles: Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford are both worthy candidates, but Maye has done more with less while excelling in adverse conditions. He’s throwing to some ultra-reliable veterans, including wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte and tight end Hunter Henry, but Maye’s poise, mobility, and accuracy have made them among the most productive and efficient players at their positions. The second-year quarterback has also thrived in the toughest conditions, ranking among the league’s best when pressured or blitzed and finishing with one of the best deep passer ratings in at least a decade. Maye is an elite pocket passer at just 23 years old, and aside from occasionally poor ball security, he’s improved in just about every significant area.

When comparing the top two candidates straight up, Maye brings immense value as a scrambler and occasional designed runner, which Stafford simply can’t at this point in his career. Maye is also 6-0 against common opponents compared to Stafford’s 4-2 record, and Maye has the better stat line. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell also did an excellent job debunking the strength-of-schedule argument, revealing that the two teams have faced comparable slates of defenses. So, while I understand the award is likely Stafford’s to lose, given his unreal 46 touchdown passes, I think there’s a much stronger case for Maye.

BRB: The Patriots confused the Chargers in the wild card round and held them to three points. Did this performance surprise you or have you seen this from this group all season?

TK: I think the Chargers’ confusion was more an indictment of their former OC Greg Roman, as there weren’t many wrinkles the Patriots hadn’t shown in previous games. That said, interim DC Zak Kuhr did an excellent job spinning the dial and mixing up pressure schemes against Herbert, and the defense played its most well-rounded game of the season.

The pass defense has been trending upward for a while, albeit against some bad opponents, so their success wasn’t much of a surprise. I was more caught off guard by the sturdy run defense, which had struggled for the first half of the season. Everyone seemed to step up their play, but the returns of Milton Williams and Robert Spillane were key. Williams has contributed to multiple impact plays since returning in the regular-season finale, and Spillane made his presence felt in the middle against the Chargers. With nose tackle/fullback Khyiris Tonga set to return this weekend, the unit could be stronger than we’ve seen it in months.

BRB: The Patriots have one of the more impressive one-two punches out of the backfield in the NFL. How do these two running backs compare, and what does each bring to the offense?

TK: Rookie TreVeyon Henderson struggled with NFL speed early on, but he caught fire mid-season and finished as one of the league’s top backs. He brings contact balance, a finisher’s mentality, and most importantly, home run speed. Though he’s had relatively quiet performances of late, Henderson has turned what should’ve been stuffed runs into field-flipping scores and must be accounted for whenever he’s on the field.

Veteran Rhamondre Stevenson has been white hot since the Patriots’ bye in Week 14, consistently making the first man miss and generating chunk plays as a runner and receiver. He runs with excellent vision, and he’s one of the best in the business at breaking tackles, picking up blitzers, and tracking down the deep ball.

OC Josh McDaniels favors Stevenson on passing downs, as Henderson is still coming along in that area, but he’ll put both on the field to chip edge rushers or create mismatches with linebackers.

BRB: Do the Patriots have any significant injuries you are worried about before the game? How will they impact them on Sunday?

TK: The Patriots actually had full attendance during their Thursday practice, a rarity at this point in the season. Christian Gonzalez (concussion) ditched his red non-contact jersey and was one of multiple players upgraded to full participation, along with Hunter Henry (knee) and Khyiris Tonga (foot). Right tackle Morgan Moses (knee) and jumbo tight-end Thayer Munford (knee) remained limited, but Moses has shown incredible toughness this season, and Munford was moving pretty well.

BRB: Fanduel has the Patriots favored by three. How do you see the game going? Are there any prop bets you feel comfortable recommending?
I think the Patriots pull this one out by more than one score. Mike Vrabel wants to fight fire with fire, and I think Maye hits enough chunk plays to get his team ahead. The offense couldn’t finish in the red zone last week, so that will be an area to watch, but that performance was more of an anomaly. Defensively, I think a healthy New England front makes it tough for Houston to run the ball, especially if Trent Brown doesn’t play. Nico Collins’s absence could also severely limit CJ Stroud’s big-play potential, though Dalton Schultz could find downfield success against man coverage. If the Texans find themselves in too many obvious pass situations, Kuhr’s defense will tee off.

I’d bet on Hunter Henry catching a touchdown in this one. It would be his fourth in five games. I also see Milton Williams getting to Stroud late.

---

We want to thank Taylor for taking the time to answer our questions, so that we could get some more inside information on our opponent. The Patriots haven’t been here in awhile, but they look a lot like those old Patriots teams that used to give the Texans fits. Here is hoping for a different result on Sunday. We want to wish Taylor and the Patriots the best of luck, but as per usual we hope that luck begins on Monday morning.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...0/five-good-texans-questions-with-pats-pulpit

 

[Houston Texans]

Houston Texans Friday Injury Report: Starting WR OUT

Houston Texans fans like ourselves have been receiving an avalanche of good news related to the Texans team since, like, November. Unfortunately, today is not one of those days. The Houston Texans released their final injury report before the Divisional Round game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, and WR Nico Collins (concussion) is now officially OUT for the game:

The New England Patriots injury report can be found here.

Nico Collins failed to practice any of the last three days, meaning he was not able to clear steps 4 or 5 of the Return-to-Participation protocol. This comes as extremely disheartening news, as the Texans will be facing their greatest challenge yet, the New England Patriots, without their #1 wide receiver. QB CJ Stroud will have his work cut out for him, and he’ll need to produce while targeting WRs Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel. What’s more disheartening, Patriots’ star CB Christian Gonzalez recently cleared concussion protocol and will be active in the Divisional Round game, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport:

#Patriots star CB Christian Gonzalez is off the injury report after clearing the concussion protocol. He’ll play.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 16, 2026

In addition to WR Nico Collins missing the trip to New England, the Texans also ruled out WR Justin Watson (concussion) and listed RT Trent Brown (ankle) as questionable. LG Tytus Howard has plenty of experience at Brown’s position, but Houston’s best combination of lineman this year has included Trent Brown as a starter, so missing him in the biggest game would only add onto the difficulties the offense will face.

In a morsel of good news, Houston’s late-season surprise, RB Jawhar Jordan, seems to have recovered enough from his high-ankle sprain (suffered in week 18 vs. Indianapolis Colts) to be an active player against the Patriots. Even though RBs Woody Marks and Nick Chubb precede him on the depth chart, Jordan’s punishing rushing style earned him many fans in his limited action at tail end of the season. Without Collins and possibly without Brown, the Texans offense will need every player they can get on the field to contribute, so Jordan’s return to the lineup is welcome news.

What do you think? Will CJ Stroud suffer greatly without Nico Collins on the field, or will the combination of Christian Kirk and Houston’s ground game tear the Patriots defense a new one? Will Stroud perform like a pro-bowler without Collins, like he did against the San Francisco 49ers in week 8, or will Pats’ CBs Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis make him suffer? Let us know in the comments below! For me…I’m very, very worried about how Stroud will look without Collins out there with him, but one game in particular during Stroud’s rookie year gives me confidence that he can handle whatever Carlton Davis throws at him…

This game winning TD is a complete DART to Tank Dell behind Carlton Davis (who got torched all day)

But watch CJ Stroud look off the safety and fit it into a tight window to Tank for the game

Houston we really have a ELITE QB pic.twitter.com/RTL2V1DwWA

— Jacob (@TexansJacob) November 6, 2023

Go Texans!!!!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...n-texans-friday-injury-report-starting-wr-out

 

[Houston Texans]

How One Key Texans Player can Beat the Patriots

Every week, the Battle Red Blog staff get together on Discord and chat during the Texans game, offering conversation and brief analysis of the team as they grind through another game. One expression that has become a mainstay on the chat is “C.H.U.M.,” which is an acronym for “Carlos Hyde Up the Middle.” This acronym came about during the Texans 2019 season, when then head coach/general manager Bill O’Brien seemed determined to jam Texans RB Carlos Hyde straight up the middle of the field nearly every other play on offense, much to the exhaustion of the writers of the Blog. They sought some comedic relief from this frustrating playcalling, and thus, the word CHUM was born. This acronym has continued to be used in the chat to describe practically any uninspiring Texans rush, detaching itself from the player Carlos Hyde and now becoming a generalized term unto its own. CHUM was used to express displeasure in many runs by David Johnson, Rex Burkhead, Dameon Pierce, and more. But, at least to me, CHUM has begun to shed its hard shell, and is now developing a more positive connotation thanks to the growing frequency of impressive runs by rookie RB Woody Marks.

Woody Marks first 100 yard game and a playoff TD pic.twitter.com/gtE08ePV0u

— USC Analytics (@USCanalytics) January 13, 2026

Woody Marks, a rookie back drafted in the fourth round (116th overall), has seen his role grow week by week as the team realized RB Nick Chubb wouldn’t be a viable cover to Houston’s Joe Mixon-shaped hole on their depth chart. Chubb is still a tough runner to bring down, but he unfortunately does offer the juice that Mixon had in 2024. So, after the first few games of the regular season didn’t go Houston’s way, Marks began to get more opportunities, and he took full advantage of the attention. After a breakout game in week four against the Tennessee Titans that led to Houston’s first win of the 2025 season, Marks would receive at least 30 snaps in nearly every game afterwards, finishing the regular season with 196 carries for 703 yards (3.6 Y/A) and 2 rushing touchdowns, as well as 24 receptions on 36 targets (66.7 Catch%) for 208 yards and 3 receiving touchdowns. He rushed for more than 60 yards in 8 of 12 games he had 10+ carries, and had his first game of the season with 100+ rushing yards in the wildcard round against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now, these aren’t the most gaudy numbers for a rookie tailback, I’m not saying that if you’ll squint you’ll see RB Christian McCaffrey, but…Marks has become a bit of an x-factor for the Texans. From his big runs against the Jaguars in the comeback win, to his big-time runs that pushed the dagger into the hearts of the Kansas City Chiefs, to his complete performance against the Steelers most recently, Woody Marks has often been Houston’s best playmaker when the game hangs in the balance. With Marks on the field, and this Texans offensive line lining up against a slightly less threatening Patriots defensive line, I find myself thinking that he may end up being the unlikely star of Houston’s first divisional round win in franchise history. But, before we go into detail on how I suspect Marks will attack the Patriots, let’s give some preface on the defense he’ll be facing:

Christian Barmore & Milton Williams are BOTH top 3 in pressure rate amongst DT’s.

BEASTS. pic.twitter.com/nMbX6bgXtC

— Pats Planet (@PatsPlanet_) January 16, 2026

The Patriots defense is a group of very well covering, disciplined, and multi-purpose athletes that rank near the top of the league in turnovers and tackles, and near the bottom in big plays given up and penalties taken. They’ve improved on defense coming into the playoffs thanks to DT Milton Williams returning from injury, and had a field day against the Los Angeles Chargers in the wildcard round. Even though they rarely used the cover 0 defensive scheme during the regular season, the Patriots used it most frequently of all teams in last week’s wildcard round, dialing up heavy pressure on the Chargers’ severely unprepared offensive line and holding them to just 3 points. Unfortunately, Houston’s offense has often struggled to handle that coverage (-0.1 EPA per drop back vs. cover 0).

Although, Houston’s offensive line (as evidenced by last week) is not nearly as bad as Los Angeles’, so I expect the Patriots to dial back their pressure a bit and play a little more coverage. New England actually ranks in the bottom half of all teams in both sacks and pressure rate, and have rather been winning on that side of the ball through solid coverage and excellent tackling from nearly all players on their roster. They rank dead last in the league in missed tackles with only 71 on the season, so it’ll be challenging for Houston’s skill position players to get extra yardage anywhere. In their stadium, and potentially in the snow, the Houston Texans are going to have to earn every inch of each of their offensive drives. So, how is Woody Marks going to attack them? Well, to put it simply: exploding through the holes made by his offensive line!

See, despite all the pomp and circumstance surrounding Patriots DTs Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, they are the heads of a run defense that has still shown a little air between the tackles. Now, they looked great against the run last week against the Chargers and have fared better against opposing tailbacks when Williams is on the field, but the Patriots defense still gave up over 100+ yards on the ground in 9 games this year. When Williams is effectively blocked or double-teamed, opposing RBs are able to attack New England’s defensive backfield, delivering body blows to their linebackers and safeties. The Texans may be able to wear down the Patriots’ defense in the first half, and then really deliver them to the offseason with the same sort of long, grinding drives they executed in Pittsburgh in the second half. Will Houston’s o-line and tight ends be able to open these rushing lanes for Woody Marks all game long against the Patriots like they did against the Steelers? Well, it depends on who you ask, but after last week’s blocking palooza, I’m willing to ride the hot hand and trust in Houston’s blockers to get the job done.

LG Ed Ingram is making himself a lot of future money. pic.twitter.com/kd2SQRxWPI

— big ounce (@_bigounce) January 13, 2026

Woody Marks was great last week, but the blocking in front of him may have been the most surprising revelation. C Jake Andrews, RG Ed Ingram, RT Trent Brown, and even TE Dalton Schultz shredded the Steelers vaunted defensive line, giving Marks and Nick Chubb wide open holes to gash Pittsburgh on early-down runs. Stopping the run had become the Steelers’ specialty over the last month of the regular season, making Houston’s success on the ground in that matchup even more impressive. In fact, Houston’s dominance in this aspect of the football game was the impetus to this article; it caused me to change my tune on what I believe will be Houston’s key to victory against the Patriots. For much of the season, I’ve been calling for Nick Caley to let Stroud throw more and dictate the offense, but right now, I want them to run the ball down New England’s throat. Houston may have been the little smashmouth team that never could for the majority of the season, but that Steelers game laid bare the fact that they’ve clearly turned a corner, and I’m willing to table my immutable love of CJ Stroud to ride the ground game until the wheels fall off.

Marks may not be the bruising tailback that many want him to be, but his aggressively fast rushes often result in big collisions with linebackers or safeties, and he’s no stranger to dishing out punishment. Another layer of his game is beginning to rear its head, too: the outside zone run. As Houston’s offensive line has developed more experience zone blocking, they’ve shown more success getting Marks rushing lanes that he can exploit. Just take a look at this:

View Link

It’s only a modest gain by Marks, but look at all the leverage these lineman are getting at push up to the right side! If Marks would’ve stayed behind some of his blockers, there’s no telling how many yards he’d get. He’s had plenty of success with rushing schemes like this in college, as well, so it’ll only be a matter of time until he’s killing opponents with runs remarkably similar to this one. But, it’s not just zone-blocking, of course. The Texans are still primarily a gap-based rushing team, and looked excellent clearing holes for both Marks and Nick Chubb last week:

View Link

And, I just have to show this play. Look at Texans LT Blake Fisher just push Steelers LB T.J. Watt (with a little help from Dalton Schultz) out of the way for his tailback. This is the second quarter and on a drive where the Steelers are getting gashed by the Texans line and need a stop before it’s too late. This is the moment T.J. Watt, one of the league’s very best defensive lineman, makes a play to keep his team in the game. But, against Fisher and a chip from Schutlz, he was blown off of the play, allowing Marks to get the edge on him and surge upfield for a 20-yard gain:

View Link

This doesn’t feel like the “normal” Texans team we’ve been cheering on all season. This doesn’t feel like the Texans team that couldn’t punch it in inside the five yard line over and over again. Once I saw this line pushing T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, and Derrick Harmon around, I knew something had changed. This is a team that has players blocking well individually, blocking well in tandem, and throwing their shoulders around like its nothing. And, to complement that, the Texans have a punishing rookie back in Woody Marks that can hit the hole in a hurry and seems to only get better as time goes on. There’s no telling how long this hot streak will last, but I’m going all in on it, baby! Woody Marks and the o-line in front of him are hitting their stride at the exact right time, and it will be by his legs that Houston will break the glass ceiling and get to their first conference title game in franchise history.

Gimme another 100-yard performance from Marks, and if he can’t do it, let the other x-factor running back give the Patriots a scare: RB Jawhar Jordan. I know I just spent this entire article talking about Marks, but Jawhar Jordan’s return to the healthy lineup could mean another weapon in the backfield for the Patriots to struggle against.

Go Texans!!!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/general/73796/how-one-key-texans-player-can-beat-the-patriots

 

[Houston Texans]

Christian Kirk’s Immaculate Performance Spurs Texans Offense

The difference between an early exit and a deep playoff run is often a player who wasn’t supposed to be part of the story. On Monday’s Wild Card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, that player was wide receiver Christian Kirk.

For all intents and purposes, Kirk had an underwhelming year as the veteran presence in a young, home-grown WR room. He was sixth on the team in yards, fifth in receptions, and only recorded one touchdown on the season, most of which were career lows.

His role diminished due to several uncontrollable factors. Rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel absorbed much of the spotlight, tight end Dalton Schultz had a career season in receptions, and the offense had to run more heavy sets due to poor blocking early in the season.

Then came the playoff game. Nico Collins was struggling to get open against lock down corner Joey Porter Jr. The Texans offense was sputtering more than your grandfather’s chevy due to C.J. Stroud’s nerves and the team’s ill-timed penalties. Houston desperately needed a break-glass option to unlock the Steelers defense and change the narrative of the game.

Texans WR Christian Kirk
8 REC
144 YDS
1 TDpic.twitter.com/MqZe7aLnF1

— Rafters (@RaftersHQ) January 13, 2026

That came in the form of Christian Kirk and his eight catches for 144 yards and a touchdown. Kirk scored a red zone touchdown, an issue which plagued the Texans all season, midway through the second quarter to give them the lead. He made multiple third down receptions to maintain possession and keep the Steelers defense on the field. Those long drives contributed to Pittsburgh’s defense folding at the end of the game en route to a 30-6 drubbing.

The biggest play of his Houston Texans (and possibly) career occurred with six and a half minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Stroud hit Kirk on a slant route against Steelers nickleback Brandin Echols on a big third down. He turned the catch upfield for a first down and 30 yards after the catch. The play put the Texans back in field goal position, but they would later score on a Woody Marks touchdown to seal the game.

With Nico Collins projected to be sidelined with a concussion for the Texans’ divisional matchup against the New England Patriots, Kirk will be called on again to be the focal point of the passing attack. The Patriots should also be without their Pro Bowl CB Christian Gonzalez, a like-for-like absence with Collins. That should move Charles Woods, an undrafted player from the 2024 class to the starting role.

Regardless of whoever lines up at cornerback for the Patriots, Kirk’s playoff emergence could be one of the greatest storylines in franchise history if he’s able to continue his form on Sunday. The Texans will need another big time performance from their vet to beat the 14-3 Patriots.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/nfl-p...s-immaculate-performance-spurs-texans-offense

 

[Houston Texans]

Texans Stats: Houston Texans vs New England Patriots

Let the game begin!

Every week NFL Communications sends out a handful of emails around the coming weekends games. And, for the most part, every week, they ignore the Houston Texans. They celebrate the “stars” like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, spotlight the same sad old franchises like the Dallas Cowboys and give lip service to the trendy names.

Meanwhile, the Texans are the hottest team in the NFL, riding on an opponent-pulverizing 10-game win streak. This week, there are only 8 teams still standing, yet somehow the NFL managed to ignore C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, Sheldon Rankins, Christian Kirk, Derek Stingley and all the rest of the Texans stars.

As if this team is just another forgettable attempt at making a mediocre football team.

Even the preview snapshot of the actual Texans vs New England Patriots game only mentions the Patriots.

It’s sad, really. Sad that people who make their living hyping the NFL and promoting the excitement of the game can’t take the time to get familiar with the story, before “reporting” on it.

Thankfully, none of that matters when the game starts. What will count takes place on the gridiron. While the NFL Communications team can’t be bothered to spotlight the Texans, the team itself will do all the talking once the game begins.

Maybe it’s due to people leaning too hard on history.

The Texans have never made it to the AFC Championship game.

But, if “never” dictated the future, then Sheldon Rankins wouldn’t have scored a touchdown and a sack in an NFL Playoff game last weekend. Because no player ever did it before.

If “never” dictated the future, the Texans defense wouldn’t be the only team in the Super Bowl era to score multiple defensive touchdowns and allow zero touchdowns against in a playoff game.

If “never” dictated the future, the Texans defense wouldn’t be the only team in NFL playoff history to score on a fumble recovery and an interception in the same quarter.

If “never” dictated the future, the Texans wouldn’t be the first team in the history of ever to allow 175 yards or fewer and score 2 defensive touchdowns in the same playoff game.

If “never” dictated the future, Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers wouldn’t have lost on Monday Night Football in the playoffs for the first time this week.

And this is just stuff from the last 7 days. The number of firsts, records broken, etc. generated by the 2025 Houston Texans this season is impressive, if not staggering.

So, don’t hang your hat on history. The past isn’t going to stop the Texans any more than the Pats will.

Houston Texans – Divisional Round Stats​

• TEXANS can advance to 1st Conf. Champ. Game in franchise history. Won 12 games in a season for 2nd time in franchise history (2012).
• QB C.J. STROUD passed for 250 yards & TD in AFC-WC & became 4th QB ever to start & win playoff game in each of 1st 3 seasons. Had 3,041 yards & 19 TD passes in 2025. Aims for 4th in row in playoffs with 245+ pass yards. Has TD pass in 2 of his past 3 postseason games. Had 3 TD passes in last reg. season meeting.
• RB WOODY MARKS (rookie) had 112 rush yards & TD in AFC-WC. Ranked 6th among rookies with 703 rush yards in 2025. Aims for his 4th in row on road with 75+ scrimmage yards.
• WR CHRISTIAN KIRK had 144 rec. yards & TD in AFC-WC. Aims for 4th in row in playoffs with TD catch.
• WR JAYDEN HIGGINS ranked tied-2nd among rookies with 6 rec. TDs in 2025. Had 2nd-most rec. TDs by a rookie in franchise history.
• TE DALTON SCHULTZ ranked 3rd among TEs in catches (82) & 6th in rec. yards (777) in 2025.
• DE DANIELLE HUNTER had sack & FF in AFC-WC. Has sack in 4 of his past 5 on road in playoffs. Ranked 3rd in NFL with 15 sacks in 2025, 7th-career season with 10+ sacks.
• DE WILL ANDERSON had 0.5 sack & FF in AFC-WC & aims for 4th in row in playoffs with 0.5+ sacks.. Had career-high 12 sacks in 2025. Made 2nd-career Pro Bowl in 2025.
• DT SHELDON RANKINS had 1.5 sacks & FR-TD in AFC-WC & became 1st DT since
• 1982 with FR-TD & 1+ sack in a playoff game.
• LB AZEEZ AL-SHAAIR had 6 tackles & TFL in AFC-WC. Made 1st-career Pro Bowl in 2025.
• CB KAMARI LASSITER had 6 tackles & PD in AFC-WC. Ranked tied-5th in NFL with career-high 17 PD in 2025. Has PD in 2 of his past 3 playoff games.
• CB DEREK STINGLEY had 15 PD this season, as he & Lassiter were 1 of 2 pairs of teammates each with 15+ PD. Made 2nd-career Pro Bowl in 2025.
• S CALEN BULLOCK had 1st-career postseason INT in AFC-WC.

Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are terrorists

The Texans defense is good enough to beat the Patriots by themselves pic.twitter.com/CWDMCP24Ax

— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) January 15, 2026

And, for those who clearly haven’t been paying attention and don’t think the Texans D is good enough to beat the Patriots, don’t forget they aren’t alone. C.J. Stroud, Woody Marks, Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins and Ka’imi Fairbairn will have an impact of their own on the other side of the ball.

Pats D Texans D
20th sacks/pass att 8th
19th INT rate 3rd
+3 turnover margin +17

Pats O Texans O
26th sacks/pass att 8th
9th INT rate 8th https://t.co/t1fzYxwoX3

— JaysonBraddock (@JaysonBraddock) January 15, 2026

New England Patriots – Divisional Round Stats​

• PATRIOTS won 1st playoff game since 2018 & are seeking 1st Conf. Champ game since 8 consec. appearances from 2011-18.
• QB DRAKE MAYE passed for 268 yards & TD & had 66 rush yards in AFC-WC, his 1st career playoff start. Ranked 3rd with career-high 31 TD passes & 4th with career-high 4,394 pass yards in 2025 & is 6th QB under 24 in NFL history with 4,000+ pass yards & 30+ TD passes in a single season. Became 3rd QB under 24 all-time with 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating in 10 games in a single season. Had 3 TD passes in last reg. season meeting.
• RB RHAMONDRE STEVENSON had 128 scrimmage yards (75 rec., 53 rush) in AFC WC & had career-high 9 scrimmage TDs this season.
• RB TREVEYON HENDERSON ranked 2nd among rookies with 911 rush yards & 1,132 scrimmage yards in 2025. Became 3rd rookie in NFL history (Saquon Barkley &
• HOFer Lenny Moore) with 4+ rush TDs of 50+ yards.
• WR STEFON DIGGS ranks 3rd since 2015 with 71 receptions & 925 rec. yards in postseason. Had 100+ rec. yards in 2 of his last 3 reg. season games.
• WR KAYSHON BOUTTE had career-high 6 TD catches in 2025.
• TE HUNTER HENRY had 64 rec. yards & TD catch in AFC-WC. Had career-high 768 rec. yards & had 7 TD catches this season.
• LB K’LAVON CHAISSON had 2 sacks & FF in AFC-WC. Had career-high 7.5 sacks, 10 TFL & 2 FFs in 2025.
• LB CHRISTIAN ELLISS had 7 tackles, PD & FR in AFC-WC.
• LB ROBERT SPILLANE had 6 tackles & PD in AFC-WC & aims for 4th in row in postseason with 5+ tackles.
• CB CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ had 2 PD in AFC-WC & had 10 PD in 2025, his 2nd consecutive season with 10+ PD.
• CB MARCUS JONES had sack, PD & FF in AFC-WC. Had career-high 3 INTs this season.
• S CRAIG WOODSON (rookie) had team-high 9 tackles & had TFL in AFC-WC.
• S JAYLINN HAWKINS ranked tied-8th with career-high 4 INTs this season. Had PD in 4 of his last 5 reg. season games.

Now, take note, the 2025 Patriots are a surprisingly good team. Drake Maye is playing at a high level, their defensive tackle tandem are wrecking games and head coach Mike Vrabel is to New England what Demeco Ryans is to Houston: former star player turned into star head coach.

But good rarely beats great and the 2025 Texans defense is great.

Houston Texans vs New England Patriots prediction​

Expect this game to slow burn for the first half and into the 3rd quarter. Vrabel is likely going to pull from the Belichick game plan of scoring early, then scoring last in the 1st half and first in the 2nd. But that’s far easier said than done when Will Anderson Jr and friends are between you and the end zone.

Houston Texans – 27

New England Patriots – 13

#GoTexans

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...-stats-houston-texans-vs-new-england-patriots