This weekend’s NFL Wild Card games conclude with a Monday night clash between the Houston Texans (12-5) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7).
This has a chance to be one of the best games of the weekend, as the Texans are riding a nine-game winning streak, while the Steelers have momentum after their narrow win over the Ravens to capture the AFC North crown.
Keep reading to take a deep dive into this matchup and learn my Texans vs Steelers predictions.
Texans vs Steelers Odds
All NFL odds used for these Texans vs Steelers best bets are current as of Wednesday, Jan. 7, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Texans (-162) vs Steelers (+136)
- Spread: Texans -3 (-110) vs Steelers +3 (-110)
- Over/Under: Over 39.5 (-110) / Under 39.5 (-110)
Oddsmakers are giving Houston’s winning streak plenty of respect by making the Texans road favorites in this game.
The fact that the Texans have allowed the second-fewest points in the NFL is also a driving factor in this game’s low over/under, with the expectation that this will be a defensive slugfest.
Texans vs Steelers Predictions
Score Prediction: Texans 20, Steelers 14
One could argue that the Steelers are being a little undervalued by being home underdogs in this game.
While they narrowly made the playoffs on a missed field goal by the Ravens, they’ve won four of their last five games, including three wins in which they were the underdog.
On the other hand, it’s hard not to respect what the Texans have accomplished over the last couple of months.
They’ve won nine straight games, including three against other playoff teams and three with backup quarterback Davis Mills starting.
The Texans have a defense that’s allowed the fewest yards, the second-fewest points, and forced the second-most turnovers. That’s exactly the type of team that can go on the road and win a playoff game.
Texans vs Steelers Best Bets
Texans -3 (-110)
There’s no doubt that the Houston defense is the strongest unit in this game and is poised to dominate, even on the road.
While Aaron Rodgers has done just enough to get the Steelers to the playoffs and has a world of postseason experience, he’s a little compromised at age 42.
Rodgers won’t be able to evade Houston’s pass rush for 60 minutes, which is likely to kill a lot of Pittsburgh’s drives.
On the other side, C.J. Stroud has led the Texans to a Wild Card win in back-to-back seasons, so I’m backing Houston to win and cover as my NFL pick of the day.
Under 39.5 Total Points (-110)
Houston’s defense is good enough to win this game for the Texans, and it’ll be good enough to keep this a low-scoring affair.
The Texans have held nine of their last 11 opponents to 21 points or fewer, and their pass rush could be particularly formidable against a team without a mobile quarterback who can escape pressure easily.
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While the Steelers have been able to take advantage of playing poor defensive teams, they are just two weeks removed from a pitiful six-point performance against the Browns.
On the other hand, the Texans have been held to 23 points or fewer in six of their last eight games, so they won’t be running up the score in this game either, keeping the total below 40.
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