Texans vs. Steelers NFL Playoffs: Wild Card Player Picks
The Houston Texans are one of four road favourites in six games over Wild Card Weekend. The Texans, winners of nine straight, travel to Pittsburgh to face the AFC North champion Steelers, who have won four of five, on Monday night at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Houston is seeking its third straight Wild Card Weekend win, while Pittsburgh is hoping to avoid losing for the fifth time in six games at this stage. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has lost six consecutive playoff games.
You can also check out our full game preview and score prediction here.
Texans vs. Steelers NFL Playoffs Wild Card Parlay
- DK Metcalf over 4.5 receptions (+125)
- C.J. Stroud over 20.5 passing completions (+100)
- Aaron Rodgers over 33.5 passing attempts (-105)
Texans vs Steelers parlay odds: +425
Texans vs. Steelers Parlay Pick: DK Metcalf over 4.5 receptions (+125)
Metcalf is returning from his two-game suspension for a slap-related incident. The Steelers need the 6-foot-4, 229-pound wideout to spread out the Texans’ top-ranked defence.
Running back Kenneth Gainwell leads the team with 73 receptions, which isn’t a good thing. Metcalf could be considered somewhat of a disappointment in his first year over from Seattle. He had 59 receptions for 850 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games.
Those numbers are OK, but not indicative of what should be a dominant No. 1. However, when he has been productive, the Steelers have prospered. The team is 6-2 in games in which Metcalf had five or more catches.
Aaron Rodgers will feel Houston’s pressure all game. He needs Metcalf to ease that pressure in both possession and first downs. If the Steelers, who probably should be more of an underdog to the surging Texans, are to have any chance, Metcalf is going to have to make a difference on the outside.
Texans vs. Steelers Parlay Pick: C.J. Stroud over 20.5 completions (+100)
It’s simple: the more passes Stroud completes, the better the chances Houston has of coming out on top. He completed more than 20.5 passes eight times this season. The Texans were victorious in six of those contests. They were just 3-3 when he completed fewer than 20.5 passes.
Houston tried to throw you off the scent the past few weeks, as Stroud completed just 16 passes in a 20-16 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, followed by 14 completions in last week’s 38-30 triumph over the Indianapolis Colts.
Don’t be fooled. Stroud is at his best when he’s moving the ball up and down the field through the air. He struggled to get into a rhythm at the beginning of the season, but after Houston lost its first two games, Stroud picked up his attempts and completions numbers to Houston’s benefit.
Texans vs. Steelers Parlay Pick: Aaron Rodgers over 33.5 passing attempts, (-105)
Rodgers might as well be a cat at this point. Every time you think he’s dead, he rises from the grave to show one more time why he’s one of the best quarterbacks to ever play.
The four-time league MVP was given up for dead after two forgetful seasons, including one devastating injury, with the New York Jets. However, he was reborn in the Steel City, winning four of his first five and four of his last five starts.
In those last five, Rodgers averaged 25 completions on 37.6 attempts per game. Yes, Houston will hound him the same way the Cleveland Browns did in a 13-6 defeat in Week 17. However, Rodgers still threw the ball 39 times that game.
The Steelers really don’t have any other choice. Tomlin needs Rodgers’ magic at least one more time.
