By outlasting the Steelers in a gritty, defensive slugfest at Acrisure Stadium, the Houston Texans tonight secured the first road playoff victory in franchise history, ending an 0-6 away record that had haunted the team since its inception in 2002.
In a game defined by trench warfare and missed opportunities, Houston relied on a dominant defensive front and a 92-yard touchdown drive to overcome two rare C.J. Stroud fumbles and escape the Pittsburgh cold with a hard-fought victory.
The Texans extended their current winning streak to ten games and marked their third consecutive season with a postseason win. By finally shattering the road curse that stymied past eras, Houston has officially cleared a psychological hurdle that shadowed over the youngest franchise in the NFL.
As they head to Foxborough for a Divisional Round clash with the Patriots, the Texans are red-hot, and for the first time in their history were road warriors.
MORE: Texans defense dominates Steelers in playoff win
Texans road playoff record
Before tonight, the road had been a house of horrors for the Texans.
Entering the 2026 postseason, the franchise held a dismal 0-6 all-time record in away playoff games, having been outscored by an average of nearly 15 points in those contests. From the "Linsanity" era heartbreak in Baltimore in 2012 to the agonizing 24-point collapse in Kansas City in 2020, the team simply could not find a way to pack their winning ways for travel.
That narrative was further complicated by the fact that Houston had never even played a road game in the Wild Card round until 2026. Historically, the Texans had only ventured away from NRG Stadium during the Divisional Round after winning at home — meaning they were consistently running into rested, top-seeded titans like the Patriots and Chiefs. By the time they reached those road venues, the "Texans road curse" felt less like a coincidence and more like an inevitable ceiling for the organization.
Tonight’s victory at Acrisure Stadium officially shatters that glass ceiling. By taking down the Steelers in Pittsburgh, C.J. Stroud and DeMeco Ryans did what multiple generations of Texans stars—from Andre Johnson to J.J. Watt—could never accomplish. The win doesn't just advance Houston in the bracket; it erases the final "never has" from the franchise’s resume, proving they can win anywhere, against anyone, with the season on the line.
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Texans road playoff losing streak
| Date | Opponent | Round | Result | Starting QB |
| Jan 15, 2012 | @ Baltimore Ravens | Divisional | L 13-20 | T.J. Yates |
| Jan 13, 2013 | @ New England Patriots | Divisional | L 28-41 | Matt Schaub |
| Jan 14, 2017 | @ New England Patriots | Divisional | L 16-34 | Brock Osweiler |
| Jan 12, 2020 | @ Kansas City Chiefs | Divisional | L 31-51 | Deshaun Watson |
| Jan 20, 2024 | @ Baltimore Ravens | Divisional | L 10-34 | C.J. Stroud |
| Jan 18, 2025 | @ Kansas City Chiefs | Divisional | L 14-23 | C.J. Stroud |
| Jan. 12, 2026 | @ Pittsburgh Steelers | Wild Card | W 30-6 | C.J. Stroud |
2011 Divisional: @ Baltimore Ravens (L 20-13)
In their first-ever road playoff game, the Texans proved they belonged but couldn't overcome their own mistakes. Despite a dominant performance from rookie J.J. Watt and a 132-yard rushing day from Arian Foster, four turnovers — including three interceptions from rookie QB T.J. Yates — proved fatal against an opportunistic Ravens defense led by Ed Reed and Ray Lewis.
2012 Divisional: @ New England Patriots (L 41-28)
The Texans traveled to Foxborough with high hopes after a 12-win season, but they were quickly dismantled by Tom Brady’s precision. New England jumped to a 17-point lead and never looked back, exposing a Houston secondary that had no answer for the Patriots' high-powered offense, which racked up 457 total yards in the blowout.
2016 Divisional: @ New England Patriots (L 34-16)
Often remembered as the "Brock Osweiler Game," Houston’s elite No. 1 ranked defense actually gave Tom Brady fits, forcing two interceptions and keeping the game competitive into the second half. However, Osweiler’s three interceptions and a kickoff return touchdown by Dion Lewis eventually broke the Texans' back, ending their season at Gillette Stadium for the second time in four years.
The Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl in the largest comeback in Super Bowl history over the Atlanta Falcons.
2019 Divisional: @ Kansas City Chiefs (L 51-31)
One of the most agonizing losses in franchise history saw the Texans race out to a stunning 24-0 lead in the first quarter at Arrowhead Stadium. Though, the joy was short-lived, as Patrick Mahomes led a historic comeback that saw the Chiefs score 41 unanswered points, leaving Houston shell-shocked and once again searching for answers on how to hold a lead away from home.
The Chiefs went on to win their first of three Super Bowls, defeating the San Francisco 49ers.
2023 Divisional: @ Baltimore Ravens (L 34-10)
In C.J. Stroud’s rookie season, in the Divisional Round, the Texans hung tough for a half against the No. 1 seed Ravens, entering the locker room tied 10-10 thanks to a Steven Sims punt return touchdown. However, the Ravens' defense completely shut down the Texans' run game in the second half, while Lamar Jackson took over with four total touchdowns to pull away.
2024 Divisional: @ Kansas City Chiefs (L 23-14)
The Texans returned to Arrowhead in January 2025 and fought a defensive battle that remained a one-score game deep into the fourth quarter. Despite Stroud's resilience, eight penalties and eight sacks proved too much to overcome against the defending champions, as the "road curse" claimed its sixth consecutive victim in a frustrating, mistake-filled afternoon.
2025 Divisional: @Pittsburgh Steelers (W 30-6)
In a day dominated by the No. 1 defense in the NFL, Houston finally snapped its road-playoff losing streak. Behind a dominant effort by the Texans defense, Houston was able to overcome three C.J. Stroud turnovers to defeat Pittsburgh on the road. It was the first time Houston played a road game in the Wild Card Round, and the defense continued it's incredible campaign.
Next up for the Texans is a trip to Foxborough for the third time in its franchise's history. This time, it's not Tom Brady, but another elite quarterback in Drake Maye.
MORE: C.J. Stroud struggles with turnovers in Texans playoff win