The Houston Texans finished the regular season with 12 wins in their final 14 games. Can they keep that momentum going in the playoffs?
While the Texans won in the wild-card round in each of C.J. Stroud's first two seasons, both games were at home before divisional round losses on the road. Stroud will have to conquer Acrisure Stadium to make it three consecutive trips to the divisional round, and the building figures to be rocking.
As much as the quarterbacks tend to be the storyline in the playoffs, the Texans' defense is the focal point of the team. Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers will have DK Metcalf back in the fold after a suspension, but an offense that has been hit-or-miss all season long will have its hands full.
The Steelers are seeking their first playoff win in nine years, while Rodgers is hoping to hold off questions about his future for at least one more week.
Here's a look at who the Steelers or Texans are set to play in the divisional round after Monday's contest.
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NFL playoff bracket 2026
Who do the Steelers play next?
As the No. 4 seed in the AFC, the Steelers will start the playoffs at home but would have to go out on the road if they advanced to the divisional round.
No. 2 New England Patriots
With the Los Angeles Chargers losing and Buffalo Bills winning, the Steelers know where they will go for the divisional round if they can defeat the Texans: Foxborough.
The No. 2-seeded New England Patriots await after a 16-3 win over the Chargers in the wild-card round, and the game would be played at Gillette Stadium, where the Steelers ran into a few bumps during the Ben Roethlisberger era. The Steelers and Patriots last faced off in the playoffs in 2016, and Pittsburgh's last playoff win over New England came all the way back in 1997.
MORE: See Steelers' opponents for 2026
Who do the Texans play next?
The Texans are the AFC's No. 5 seed and are set to continue playing on the road if they advance past the Steelers. Here is a look at their potential opponent.
No. 2 New England Patriots
The Texans would face the Patriots on the road in the divisional round if they advanced past the Steelers, after New England eliminated the Chargers with a 16-3 victory on Sunday.
A matchup between the Texans and Patriots would pit one of the NFL's fiercest defenses against a young, MVP-contending quarterback in Drake Maye. History doesn't favor the Texans, as Houston has faced New England twice in the divisional round and lost both times, but history doesn't mean much as long Brock Osweiler and Tom Brady aren't the starting quarterbacks this time around.