{"id":647179,"date":"2026-01-07T21:19:47","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T20:19:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/?p=647179"},"modified":"2026-01-07T21:19:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T20:19:52","slug":"nfl-wild-card-round-steelers-vs-texans-opening-odds-early-picks-predictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/nfl-wild-card-round-steelers-vs-texans-opening-odds-early-picks-predictions\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Wild Card Round Lookahead &#8211; Pittsburgh Steelers vs Houston Texans Opening Odds, Early Picks &amp; Predictions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In a thrilling AFC Wild Card finale, the No.4 seed <a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> (10-7, AFC North champions) host the No.5 seed Houston Texans (12-5) at Acrisure Stadium on Monday, January 12, 2026, with kickoff at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN\/ABC.<\/p><p>Pittsburgh, powered by veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a stout defense under Mike Tomlin, clinched the division in dramatic fashion and aims for a deep postseason run. The high-powered Texans, led by rising star C.J. Stroud and coach DeMeco Ryans, boast one of the league&rsquo;s top offenses despite a road challenge. <\/p><p>This first-ever playoff matchup pits experience against youth in primetime, with the winner advancing to the Divisional Round. Expect an electric atmosphere in the Steel City. <\/p><blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DTHaakLDo7W\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DTHaakLDo7W\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DTHaakLDo7W\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>A post shared by Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><p>With that said, let us take a look at the early betting leans based on the opening lines and the information available. <\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the Opening Odds for the Steelers vs Texans?<\/h2><p>The table below gives the opening odds for the Steelers vs Texans matchup <a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/go-FanDuel-sports-us-en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'><strong>as per FanDuel<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Teams<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Spread<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Moneyline<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Total<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Houston Texans <\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/go-FanDuel-sports-us-en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>-3 (-112)<\/a><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/go-FanDuel-sports-us-en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>-174<\/a><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/go-FanDuel-sports-us-en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>O 39.5 (-105)<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Pittsburgh Steelers <\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/go-FanDuel-sports-us-en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>+3 (-108)<\/a><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/go-FanDuel-sports-us-en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>+146<\/a><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/go-FanDuel-sports-us-en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>U 39.5 (-115)<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure><p>\n\n\n            <div class=\"MvpBookmakerTable\" >\n                                                            <div class=\"MvpBookmakerTableTopBlock\">\n                    <div class=\"MvpBookmakerTableTopBlock-item MvpBookmakerTableTopBlock-item--flex2\">\n                                    <div class=\"MvpBookmakerTableLogo\" style=\"background-color: #1493ff\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/mm-business-data\/images\/brands\/9b4dabf72537-500-FanDuel.jpeg\" alt=\"FanDuel\">\n            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Must be 21+ in most jurisdictions, but 18+ in DC, KY, and WY. Offer is valid only in eligible regulated states\/jurisdictions and not available in AR; void where prohibited. First online real-money wager only; cashed-out or bonus-funded bets are excluded.            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/div>\n            \n\n\n\n<\/p><p>the opening odds for the Steelers vs Texans Wild Card round matchup show that the Texans are the slight favorites to win the game.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Early Picks and Predictions for Steelers vs Texans<\/h2><p>Here are our early picks for the Wild Card game between the Steelers and the Texans. <\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Early spread lean<\/strong>: Houston Texans -3 (<a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/go-FanDuel-prono-us-en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>-112<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Early total lean<\/strong>: Under 39.5 (<a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/go-FanDuel-prono-us-en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>-115<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Early Player Prop<\/strong>: Aaron Rodgers under 1.5 passing TDs (<a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/go-FanDuel-prono-us-en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>-250<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul><p><a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/best-nfl-betting\/\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'><strong>If you&rsquo;re looking for a complete guide to the best NFL betting sites, we&rsquo;ve got you covered<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/a><\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Early Leans &amp; Betting Predictions<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Early Spread Lean: Houston Texans -3 <\/h3><p>Looking at this matchup between the <a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>Pittsburgh Steelers <\/a>and the Houston Texans, we are leaning towards the Texans covering the -3 point spread. Despite playing on the road, the Texans (12-5) enter on a nine-game win streak, with C.J. Stroud thriving in DeMeco Ryans&rsquo; scheme and a balanced attack exploiting Pittsburgh&rsquo;s inconsistent secondary.<\/p><p>The Steelers (10-7) rely on veteran Aaron Rodgers and a solid defense, but they&rsquo;ve struggled against top offenses late, and home underdog spots under Mike Tomlin don&rsquo;t always translate to covers in playoffs. <\/p><p>Laying just 3 points with the hotter, higher-seeded team (as wild card) offers value. <\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Early Total Lean: Under 39.5<\/h3><p>The early total lean on Under 39.5 is a sharp play in the Steelers-Texans AFC Wild Card matchup. Houston boasts the NFL&rsquo;s No.1 ranked defense in total yards allowed, suffocating opponents with elite pressure and secondary play under DeMeco Ryans, while Pittsburgh&rsquo;s defense sits a shaky 29th but excels in takeaways and red-zone stops at home. <\/p><p>Offensively, the Texans rank just 19th in total yards, often relying on efficient controlled drives rather than explosions, and the Steelers limp in at 26th, struggling with consistency behind Aaron Rodgers&rsquo; veteran arm.<\/p><p>This combination screams low-scoring, grind-it-out football. Expect clock control, field goals, and defensive stans in a projected 20-16 type battle. The under, for us, is the optimum choice here. <\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Early Player Prop: Aaron Rodgers under 1.5 passing TDs<\/h3><p>The Aaron Rodgers under 1.5 passing TDs is a strong player prop bet in the Steelers-Texans Wild Card matchup. Pittsburgh&rsquo;s offense ranks 26th in total yards and leans heavily on a conservative approach under Mike Tomlin in playoff scenarios to protect leads and limits turnovers. Rodgers threw just 24 passing TDs in 16 regular-season games, but against top defenses like Houston&rsquo;s No. 1-ranked unit, he averages under 1.3 TDs in similar spots. The Texans excel at forcing field goals in the red zone, and Pittsburgh may find itself settling for field goals rather than explosive TD passes from Rodgers, since Houston is also lethal in getting interceptions with 18 total in the regular season. <\/p><blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DTG6yBniAK1\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DTG6yBniAK1\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DTG6yBniAK1\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>A post shared by Houston Texans (@houstontexans)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trends to Monitor<\/h2><p>Here are some of the key trends to monitor for the Steelers Wild Card  Game against the Texans.<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Texans are 9-8 against the spread this season. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Steelers are 9-7-1 against the spread this season. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Under is 11-6 in the Texans&rsquo; games this season. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Over is 9-7-1 in the Steelers&rsquo; games this season. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Texans are 4-4 against the spread on the road this season.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Steelers are 5-3 against the spread at home this season. <\/li>\n<\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Early Prediction Summary <\/h2><p>Going on the information we have at the moment, our early lean is toward the Texans to cover the spread (-3), with the total points under 39.5, given that the Texans are the No. 1 defensive team in the NFL, but are 19th in total offense. Whereas, the Steelers on the other hand have one of the worst defenses ranking 27th but are also one of the worst offenses in the league ranking 26th. These combos put together scream a low scoring game, potentially under 39.5. The player prop we are leaning towards is Aaron Rodgers under 1.5 passing TDs, as he has only 6 games above 1.5 passing TDs and is going up against, statistically, the best defensive unit in the <a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>NFL <\/a>this season. <\/p><p>\n\n\n            <div class=\"MvpBookmakerTable\" >\n                                                            <div class=\"MvpBookmakerTableTopBlock\">\n                    <div class=\"MvpBookmakerTableTopBlock-item MvpBookmakerTableTopBlock-item--flex2\">\n                                    <div class=\"MvpBookmakerTableLogo\" style=\"background-color: #1493ff\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/mm-business-data\/images\/brands\/9b4dabf72537-500-FanDuel.jpeg\" alt=\"FanDuel\">\n            <\/div>\n                                            <div 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Must be 21+ in most jurisdictions, but 18+ in DC, KY, and WY. Offer is valid only in eligible regulated states\/jurisdictions and not available in AR; void where prohibited. First online real-money wager only; cashed-out or bonus-funded bets are excluded.            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/div>\n            \n\n\n\n<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Watch Steelers vs Texans?<\/h2><p>Here are the details for the upcoming Steelers vs Texans Wild Card round matchup. <\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Game Details<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Information<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Date<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Monday, January 12, 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Kickoff<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">8:15 p.m. ET <\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Location<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">TV<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">ABC, ESPN, ESPN2<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Streaming<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">NFL+, Fubo<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What time is Steelers vs Texans?<\/h3><p>The Steelers vs Texans Wild Card round will take place at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday, January 12.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the Steelers vs Texans game being played?<\/h3><p>This AFC Wild Card game between the Steelers and the Texans will take place at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I watch Steelers vs Texans on TV and live stream?<\/h3><p>The game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Houston Texans will be available on ABC\/ESPN or ESPN2. With the game&rsquo;s live stream available at Fubo, or NFL+. <\/p><p><em>The above odds are <\/em><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/go-FanDuel-prono-us-en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"trk-cta-link\" data-cta-trk='{\"ctaType\":\"Link\",\"ctaSubType\":\"main\"}'>sourced from FanDuel<\/a><\/em><\/strong><em>. Use FanDuel to ace your betting game in all sports!<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"mm-layout mm-layout-type-global mm-layout-slot4\">\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a thrilling AFC Wild Card finale, the No.4 seed Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7, AFC North champions) host the No.5 seed Houston Texans (12-5) at Acrisure Stadium on Monday, January 12, 2026, with kickoff at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN\/ABC. Pittsburgh, powered by veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a stout defense under Mike Tomlin, clinched the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":647181,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"page-betting.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_mux_skip_reasons":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,2590],"tags":[876,82,10970,197,10980],"class_list":["post-647179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl","category-nfl-predictions","tag-houston-texans","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-wild-card-round","tag-pittsburgh-steelers","tag-steelers-vs-texans"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>NFL Wild Card Round Lookahead - Pittsburgh Steelers vs Houston Texans Opening Odds, Early Picks &amp; Predictions - The Playoffs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Check out the Steelers vs Texans opening odds, early picks, and predictions &ndash; 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