The lights shine bright during the playoffs. But the lights at Acrisure Stadium will shine even brighter Monday night. In the final game of a highly anticipated Wild Card weekend, the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Houston Texans, a matchup dripping with storylines, respect, and underlying concern. And yes—everyone is talking about it. Including Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans.
“We’re excited for our matchup with the Steelers,” Ryans told reporters this week. And he should be.
In a short span, Ryans has helped turn Houston from an afterthought into a postseason regular, guiding the Texans to the playoffs every year of his tenure. That consistency mirrors the gold standard in Pittsburgh, where Mike Tomlin has authored 19 consecutive winning seasons. Two leaders. Two cultures. Two franchises built on toughness and accountability.
There’s mutual admiration between Ryans and Tomlin, forged through shared values and defensive roots. “It’s always positive and always great encouragement from a guy who’s done it at a level you seek to do it,” Ryans said of Tomlin. Respect is present. So is appreciation. But come Monday night, none of that will matter.
Advancing in the AFC playoff bracket is the only currency that counts.
From Ryans’ perspective, the path forward begins with surviving one of football’s most unforgiving environments—and slowing down Pittsburgh’s relentless pass rush. The concern starts with Alex Highsmith.
“Highsmith doesn’t get enough credit, I think, for the production and how disruptive he is as a pass rusher,” Ryans hinted.
He’s not wrong. Highsmith quietly put together another strong campaign, finishing with 9.5 sacks—19th in the league—along with 50 total tackles. He’s the perfect complement to T.J. Watt, occupying the role every elite defense covets: the second star who prevents offenses from sliding protection in one direction.
DeMeco Ryans understands defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers is a daunting challenege
Together, they form a pairing that can ruin a game plan before it ever settles in.
“If you want to play good defense, you need two good pass rushers, and they have that,” Ryans concluded.
Statistically, the Steelers back it up. Pittsburgh ranked sixth in the NFL in sacks per game at 2.8. On paper, that screams dominance. But playoff football isn’t played on spreadsheets, and Ryans knows there are cracks to exploit.
Calling Pittsburgh a “good defense” entering the postseason may be more respectful than accurate. In Week 18, the Steelers allowed Lamar Jackson to average a staggering 50.6 yards per touchdown pass. Explosive plays showed up at the worst possible time—an alarming trend for a unit built on limiting damage.
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Still, Ryans isn’t pointing fingers without turning the mirror inward.
“We didn’t end the year well defensively when it comes to giving up big plays,” he admitted.
The evidence is damning. Alec Pierce burned Houston for 132 yards on just four receptions, scoring twice in a performance eerily similar to Zay Flowers’ 138-yard, two-touchdown night against Pittsburgh. Two defenses. Same flaw. Same risk under playoff lights.
That symmetry is what makes Monday night so dangerous—and so compelling.
The stage is set for the Steelers to build momentum at precisely the right moment. The Texans believe Pittsburgh is capable of great things. Ryans has said as much through his words and his worries. But belief alone doesn’t decide January football.
Execution does. Discipline does. And above all, team-first football does.
On Monday night, respect will give way to reality.