Jan. 11, 2026, 9:35 p.m. ET
The Buffalo Bills‘ Wild Card victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars was the first of three steps to securing another home playoff game for the Pittsburgh Steelers — but it also cost them a specific opponent in the Divisional Round.
If the Steelers can secure a win over the Houston Texans on Monday and punch their ticket into the Divisional Round of the playoffs, they won’t play the No. 1 seed Denver Broncos, regardless of the outcome of the wild-card game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the New England Patriots.
Should the Patriots defeat the Chargers, the Steelers would travel on the road to Foxborough next week. But if the Chargers win on Sunday night, the Steelers will host the Bills in Pittsburgh — with neither scenario setting up a matchup against Denver.
As exciting as speculating on which opponent Pittsburgh may face next may be, the Steelers will, of course, need to secure their first playoff win in nine years — a feat easier said than done, especially against a fearsome Texans’ defense.
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