The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves out of the frying pan and into the fire after beating the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. Their first-round matchup in the playoffs is against the Houston Texans, who sport a 12-5 record and have the AFC’s best defense. The Steelers’ offense has been inconsistent this year, so this could be a tricky opponent for them. However, the game will be played in Pittsburgh, which should give the Steelers a boost. Even Texans general manager Nick Caserio knows that could be an issue.
“Anytime you’ve done something, not doing it for the first time, at least you have some understanding, some familiarity of what’s required and the expectations,” Caserio said recently on the Texans’ YouTube channel. “I would say playing in Pittsburgh in the playoffs is probably unlike any other experience that you’ve probably gone through.
“There’s probably an element of, the first quarter, weathering the storm a little bit and letting the game settle in. Been in that stadium in playoff situations, and certainly not an easy place to play.”
Caserio worked in a variety of roles with the New England Patriots from 2001-2020. Even though the Texans have never played the Steelers in the playoffs, Caserio has.
The Patriots traveled to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers in Caserio’s first year in New England. While the Steelers were red-hot that year, the Patriots ultimately emerged victorious. The same scenario played out in 2004, too.
The Patriots jumped out to fast starts in both those games, too. A 7-point first quarter lead in each contest helped quiet the Pittsburgh crowd and left the Steelers in holes that they couldn’t climb out of.
Perhaps Caserio will impart some wisdom from those battles to the Texans. They’ve never won a road playoff game in their team’s history, being 0-6 in those games. Those losses have all come to either the Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, or Kansas City Chiefs. Places that can get awfully cold come playoff time.
Weather could be just as much of a factor for the Texans as the home crowd. Their home stadium is a dome. If the Steelers jump out to a fast start, the Texans could be left scrambling.
Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. The Steelers are still riding a 67-game streak of scoring seven or fewer points in the first quarter. While Caserio might be worried about weathering a storm, the Texans might only have to deal with a quick shower of rain. Hopefully, the elements and the crowd can force the Texans to struggle just as much.