4 Takeaways From the Texans' Win Over the Steelers

[ad_1] Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh) — Aaron Rodgers hoped for a storybook ending to his legendary profession. As a substitute, that e book was slammed shut by the No. 1 protection within the NFL.

The Houston Texans battered the 43-year-old Rodgers and nearly fully shut down his offense on Monday evening, on their method to a 30-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC wild-card sport. The Texans, powered by their top-ranked protection, have now gained 10 straight video games and 11 of their final 12.

Subsequent for Houston, it heads to New England on Sunday for a Divisional Spherical sport.

As for Rodgers, he and the Steelers have some choices to make to find out whether or not this actually was the tip of his storied profession.

Listed here are my takeaways from the sport:

1. This Texans protection is legit – and championship-worthy Don’t dismiss what they did on this wild-card sport simply because it was towards a reasonably weak Steelers offense. Every thing in regards to the Houston protection on this sport confirmed it’s for actual.

The Texans held the Steelers to only 176 yards total, although the protection was significantly spectacular towards the go. Houston’s protection was tight all sport, by no means permitting broad receiver DK Metcalf, the Steelers’ one true game-breaker, to get free. And the Texans’ go rush appeared to get stronger as the sport went alongside. It was pretty constant however actually picked up within the second half.

And, after all, it was liable for the kill shot with 11:23 left within the sport, when a sack from go rusher Will Anderson brought on a Rodgers fumble that defensive deal with Sheldon Rankins scooped up and returned 33 yards for a landing and a 17-3 Houston lead. They even piled on late with a second rating – a 50-yard interception return for a landing by security Calen Bullock.

Aaron Rodgers' profession might have ended towards the elite Texans protection. (Justin Okay. Aller/Getty Photographs)

As for the run protection, the operating lanes merely weren’t there for Pittsburgh in any respect. It’s most likely why the Steelers shied away from even making an attempt, operating on solely about one quarter of their offensive performs.

The duty goes to get a lot more durable for Houston now that one of many area’s weakest offenses is out of the way in which. However there’s no purpose to assume that, after what has actually been a stellar season, that the Texans gained’t be as much as a tougher process.

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2. The Texans must run their offense by means of their floor sport C.J. Stroud was as soon as purported to be the following nice NFL quarterback, able to main the Texans to a Tremendous Bowl sometime. It certain appears like their offense is at its finest once they take the ball out of his palms, although.

Not that the Texans have been a very sturdy operating workforce throughout the common season (they averaged simply 108.9 speeding yards per sport, good for twenty second within the league), however they clearly moved the ball finest towards the Steelers once they ran it. Rookie operating again Woody Marks was significantly elusive, speeding for a season-best 112 yards on 19 carries towards the Steelers.

Houston used him far more like a workhorse than it did all season lengthy. The truth is, on their finest drive — a monster, 14-play, 92-yard drive within the first half that ate 7:01 off the clock and resulted in a landing — the Texans ran seven instances for 55 yards.

That was when Houston was at its finest, and it ought to do much more of that. If the Texans again their top-ranked protection with a powerful speeding assault, they’ll have discovered a system that wins within the playoffs and will carry them a good distance this yr.

3. What occurred to the Stroud all of us noticed when he was a rookie? Is it potential that Stroud is simply by no means going to meet all of the promise he confirmed as a rookie? It’s nearly arduous to recollect now that two years in the past, he threw for 4,108 yards with 23 landing passes and simply 5 interceptions and he actually did appear like a budding celebrity.

Now, in his third yr, he appears good, however removed from nice. He had an OK common season, with respectable however not overwhelming numbers. And his stats ended up being usually good towards the Steelers, too (21-of-32, 250 yards, one landing, one interception).

However he was additionally a multitude at instances on this wild-card sport. Stroud was rattled too usually by the Steelers’ go rush, fumbling three shotgun snaps, speeding his throws and seemingly caught within the pocket too usually, unable to flee. He even misplaced two fumbles and threw a horrible interception approach down on the Steelers’ 4-yard line.

The Texans have the form of protection that may win with simply respectable quarterback play. The expectations for Stroud, although, have been as soon as so much greater than that.

4. It was a becoming ending for the season, however not for Rodgers’ stellar profession If this actually was the tip for Rodgers, it’s clearly not the way in which he wished to exit, throwing for simply 146 yards (17-of-33) with no touchdowns and one interception. However towards the NFL’s No. 1 protection it nearly needed to finish this fashion. He obtained about as a lot out of his 43-year-old physique and carried this workforce so far as it may probably go.

The Steelers didn’t do him any favors. Outdoors of Metcalf, it’s not like they surrounded Rodgers with any elite playmakers — and he wanted them given his bodily limitations. Pittsburgh additionally didn’t give him a powerful operating sport both, as a substitute hoping and anticipating him to make use of his thoughts and what was left of his capability to hold it more often than not.

And Rodgers did, getting them to the playoffs and to the AFC North title. However his lack of mobility and lack of constant arm power have been arduous to beat when he simply didn’t have the gamers round him.

So, if that is the tip, attempt to overlook this sport and bear in mind his come-from-behind win over the Ravens within the regular-season finale. That was a way more becoming approach for the long run Corridor of Famer to exit.

4 ½. What’s subsequent? The fifth-seeded Houston Texans (13-5), who have been 3-5 after their first sport in November, will now take their 10-game successful streak into New England subsequent Sunday to face the No. 2-seed Patriots (15-3). The Pats, after all, are recent off a smothering, 16-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers within the Wild Card Spherical. Quarterback Drake Maye threw for 268 yards and a landing in that sport, however it was the protection, which surrendered simply 207 yards to the Chargers, that basically gained it for the Pats.

As for the Steelers, they head into a really unsure offseason the place the futures of head coach Mike Tomlin and Rodgers are at the very least considerably up within the air. Nobody is aware of for certain whether or not Rodgers needs to play a twenty second NFL season, or if the Steelers will need him again if he does. And whereas Tomlin isn’t at risk of being fired after 19 seasons in Pittsburgh, there was hypothesis that both he'll wish to step away, or that he and administration will resolve it’s time to mutually half methods.

So, it’s potential the Steelers might be rebuilding behind a brand new coach and quarterback subsequent season. In fact, it’s equally potential that Tomlin and Rodgers will return to run it again yet one more (final?) time.

Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He spent six years protecting the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and earlier than that, 16 years protecting the Giants and the NFL for the New York Day by day Information. Observe him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.

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