The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't won a playoff game in nearly nine years, and now the NFL's top defense stands in the way, threatening another disappointing end.

Aaron Rodgers will face the challenge of solving the defensive unit of the Houston Texans when Pittsburgh hosts Houston on Monday night in the AFC wild-card round.

"It's win or go home at this point," Steelers left tackle Dylan Cook said. "We obviously want to win, but we just have to go out and execute our job and take it one play at a time."

The Texans, who finished the regular season at 12-5, are preparing for a tough, physical battle in the Steel City.

"It's going to be old-school football, and it's going to be a physical game," Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said. "If you like football, you should be excited about it, and I'm ready for it."

Pittsburgh has dropped six consecutive playoff games since defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round on Jan. 15, 2017. After losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game seven days later, the Steelers have followed up with five straight first-round exits.

Last season, Pittsburgh fell 28-14 to the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round. Ironically, the Steelers (10-7 in the regular season) beat Baltimore 26-24 last Sunday night to claim the AFC North title and set up the clash against Houston.

The Texans ended the season on a nine-game winning streak. While quarterback C.J. Stroud shines, Houston’s defense, led by defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, sets the tone.

Houston allowed a league-low 277.2 yards per game this season and ranked second in points allowed at 17.4 per game. The team also had a plus-17 takeaway margin. Hunter finished third in the NFL with 15 sacks, while Anderson tied for eighth with 12. Cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter, along with safeties Jalen Pitre and Calen Bullock, each had four interceptions.

"They've just got a kick-butt unit," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "They have a top-flight edge tandem in Hunter and Anderson. They’ve got a top-flight corner tandem on the outside. They rush very well, cover very well, and they don’t have to overcomplicate things schematically when you have corners and edge rushers like that."

Stroud enters the playoffs for the third straight season with a 2-2 postseason record. During the regular season, the 24-year-old threw for 3,041 yards and 19 touchdowns against eight interceptions, despite missing three games due to a concussion.

Rodgers has played well for the Steelers, finishing with 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 16 games. He hasn’t thrown an interception in his last seven outings.

"I'm a big fan of Aaron. I love what he does," Stroud said. "His mechanics are through the roof. He’s a heck of a player, and I respect him. He’s doing it at a high level in Year 21 of his career."

Rodgers holds an 11-10 postseason record, though his last playoff win came in 2020 with the Green Bay Packers.

The Steelers hope to get a boost from receiver DK Metcalf, who leads the team with 850 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and is returning after a two-game suspension following an incident with a fan in Detroit.

"DK is the No. 1 receiver, so it’s great having him back," Rodgers said. "He’s real thankful to be back, and we’re all thankful to have him back as well."

Ryans, however, is bracing for the challenge. "We have to step up to the challenge there," he said. "We have to play physical against him. It’s going to be tough. He’s done a great job his entire career of making big plays down the field."

On Thursday, four Texans missed practice: Lassiter (ankle/knee), defensive end Denico Autry (knee), offensive lineman Tytus Howard (ankle), and running back Jawhar Jordan (ankle). Running back Jaylen Warren was the only Steelers player to sit out due to illness.

-Field Level Media/Reuters