The Pittsburgh Steelers clinched the fourth seed in the AFC playoff bracket. It’s good positioning, but not great. Good enough to host a postseason game at Acrisure Stadium, yet still fragile enough to demand urgency. There are no warm-up acts in January football, and standing across the line Monday night will be a quarterback who cannot be taken lightly—Houston Texans signal-caller C.J. Stroud.
He will be ready. That much is certain.
The young gunslinger has built a reputation as a winner, guiding his team to the postseason in each of his three years as a starter. That type of consistency doesn’t happen by accident, especially for a quarterback still early in his NFL journey. It’s a résumé Mike Tomlin respects, and one his defense must prepare for with full attention.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for C.J. Stroud and his body of work and what he’s been able to do in this league over a short period of time,” Tomlin told the media Tuesday.
That respect is warranted. But should the Steelers' defense be worried? The answer depends on which version of Teryl Austin’s unit shows up under the lights.
For three quarters against Baltimore in Week 18, Pittsburgh’s defense looked playoff-ready. They pressured Lamar Jackson, limited explosives, and controlled the tempo. Then the fourth quarter arrived. A vulnerable secondary was exposed, and Jackson took advantage, turning a manageable game into something far more dramatic than it needed to be. That late lapse is exactly the type of mistake that can flip a playoff game in minutes.
Still, context matters. When the moment has mattered most this season, Austin’s group has delivered. The Steelers finished fourth in the NFL in takeaways per game at 1.6, and creating chaos has been their calling card. Monday night, that identity must take center stage.
The Pittsburgh Steelers cannot play down to C.J. Stroud during Monday's Wild Card game
The other variable is which version of Stroud steps onto the Acrisure Stadium turf.
When the lights are bright and defenses clamp down, Stroud has shown cracks. In Week 7, he delivered his worst performance of the season, completing just 46.9 percent of his passes and posting a 59.0 passer rating. Notably, that game was his lone Monday night appearance of the year. It resulted in a 27-19 loss to the Seahawks. Pressure, timing, and physicality all combined to make the evening uncomfortable.
But when defenses are wounded, Stroud is ruthless.
Just ask Baltimore. In Week 5, against a battered Ravens secondary, Stroud threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns in a dominant 44–10 Houston victory. Given time and space, the Pro Bowl quarterback doesn’t hesitate to exploit mismatches. That reality puts a spotlight on Pittsburgh’s ability to dictate terms early.
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The key for the Steelers is simple in theory, brutal in execution: make Stroud uncomfortable. Pittsburgh ranked sixth in the league in sacks per game at 2.8, and that pressure must arrive consistently. Collapsing the pocket, forcing hurried throws, and disrupting timing with Nico Collins and company will decide this matchup more than any single stat.
Both sides understand the severity of Monday night. Stroud knows what a statement win could mean for his young legacy. The Texans believe they belong.
But the Steelers must feel the urgency more.
Home field, playoff experience, and a defense built to create havoc all tilt in Pittsburgh’s favor—if they choose to lean into them. Taking Stroud seriously isn’t optional. It’s the first step toward surviving January and proving that the fourth seed is more than just a number next to their name.