Stifle, suffocate, suppress, subdue, suffocate, suffocate. Choose your nickname. The Houston Texans’ performance in Monday night’s 30-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers was worthy of them all.
The Texans held Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers, who returned highly-paid receiver DK Metcalf from suspension, to 175 total yards and two field goals. DeMeco Ryan’s defense produced four sacks, 17 QB pressures, 12 QB hits, two forced fumbles, nine tackles for loss, a fumble returned by Sheldon Rankins for a touchdown and six sacks to end Calen Bullock’s trial.
“It was an outstanding defensive performance,” Ryans said following the contest on the team’s official website. “One of the best I’ve seen against a really talented offense, a talented quarterback who’s been playing at a high level for a long time.”
As CJ Stroud fumbled his way to three turnovers that kept the Steelers in the game going into the fourth quarter, the Texans’ defense continued to build a brick wall.
Jalen Pitre flew at the ball with punishing force. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter screamed from the sidelines. Rankins, Tommy Togiai and the rest of the interior slammed the door. Derek Stingley Jr. carpet Kamari Lassiter choked out Metcalf. Bullock closed in the middle of the field. Azeez Al-Shaair replaced Henry To’oTo’ostuck along with Jalen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.
“Shoot, I think everybody knows we’re the best defense,” Bullock said. “The whole world knows that. Every time we go out there we show it and we went out there and showed it today. I don’t think they even scored a touchdown.”
They didn’t, Calen. They didn’t.
Honestly, the Steelers barely came close to scoring a touchdown. They marched into the red zone on their second drive of the contest and recovered following Stroud’s second fumble in the first half, but settled for two field goals.
Stroud’s struggles could have given the Texans’ defense every right to wilt early. They were put in bad places. On the field more than they should have. And didn’t have much of an advantage to play with through three quarters. It didn’t matter. Any frustration they felt about the offense’s ineptitude, they took it out on the Steelers.
After Stroud’s second lost fumble in the first half, the Texans allowed an eight-play drive. That drive went for a total of four yards and ended in three points. After three Stroud turnovers, the Texans allowed a total of 32 net yards and three scores. They put up 14 points and 88 yards of their own power after two Rodgers turnovers.
“Our guys, they were locked in. That’s what I could see. They were locked in.” Ryan said. “…The way we tackled was really the key and I can’t say a lot about this performance without talking about the third downs. Like it was the game. Like we got off the field on third downs defensively. I think they just switched two and then for us offensively we converted ten of 16. So that’s the game right there. It allowed us to stay off the field and the defense was very offensive, and the defense was strong, success.”
The Texans held the Steelers to a 14.3% 3rd down conversion rate (2 on 14 attempts), tied for the rate the Houston defense allowed in 2025 (also vs. Seattle in Week 7, 2 for 14).
Despite Rodgers’ tendency to get the ball out quickly to avoid pressure and beatings, the Texans still got home. During the season, Rodgers was pressured on 21.5% of drops in the league. On Monday night, Houston generated a 44.7% QB pressure rate. Anderson and Hunter combined for 15 QBPs.
The six points and 175 yards allowed were both the fewest in season history.
“We’re here for everything,” Rankins said after Houston (13-5) won its 10th straight game. “I won’t sugarcoat it, won’t dance around that stuff. We’re here for the whole thing.”
If Stroud can put things together, starting Sunday in New England, the Texans have a defense that can carry them to the Super Bowl.