Texans vs. Steelers Predictions for Wild Card Round | Opening Odds & NFL Playoffs Best Bet

The last team to punch its playoff ticket hosts the final game of Wild Card Weekend as I offer my Texans vs. Steelers predictions. Monday night's kickoff from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh is set for 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN).

Houston's dominant defense sees the Texans lined as a 3.5-point betting favorite. My NFL predictions and wild-card matchups look at if whether the visitors can hand Aaron Rodgers a loss in what could be his final game in the NFL.

🏈 Early Texans vs. Steelers prediction

See the latest NFL odds and our experts' NFL picks for every game this season.

Texans -3 (-120) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This line might seem a little scary at first given the Texans' brand of football, as leaning on their second-ranked defense by points per game isn't conducive to comfortable wins.

But the Texans' average margin of victory during their nine-game winning streak is 6.9 points, giving enough of a buffer. Yes, DK Metcalf will be back from his suspension, but a vicious Texans pass rush that finished tied for seventh leaguewide with 47 sacks will make pushing the ball downfield a steep challenge.

Toss in the Steelers' mediocre secondary that ranked 29th this season, and there's a path to the Texans pulling away. But throw yourself at this number from bet365 now, as we've already been seeing movement from many of the best NFL betting sites. The opening spread started at -3, and now that's widely shifted to -3.5, with bet365 an outlier.

📊 Live Texans vs. Steelers odds: Wild Card Round

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Texans vs. Steelers opening odds

• Moneyline: Texans -180 | Steelers +150
• Spread: Texans -3 (-120) | Steelers +3 (+100)
• Over/Under: Over 39.5 (-110) | Under 39.5 (-110)

Texans vs. Steelers line movement

The spread movement toward Houston will surely continue if bettors keep favoring the Texans so heavily, as 63% of the action is coming in on them. There's been an early move from -3 to -3.5, so Texans believers are wise to pounce now.

Meanwhile, the total is already easily the lowest in the NFL Wild Card Round betting odds. It's not close either, with the 39.5 sitting far lower than the 46.5 several other wild-card matchups are getting. That basement-level number could move a little further too given a weather forecast that calls for a 32-degree temperature and 17-mph wind gusts.

Currently, 59% of the action is on the Under, so act now if you think a slugfest is coming.

📈 Texans vs. Steelers trends & betting notes: Wild Card Round

• The Texans have won nine straight games and 10 of their last 11, though four of those victories have come by four points or fewer
• Despite that remarkable winning run, Houston is 9-8 against the spread and 4-4 on the road
• The Over is also 6-11 during Texans games, and 9-7-1 in games involving Pittsburgh
• The Steelers are also 9-8 ATS, but 6-3 at home

📺 How to watch Texans vs. Steelers: Wild Card Round

• Date: Monday, Jan. 12
• Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
• Location: Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh)
• TV: ESPN

💡 NFL Wild Card Weekend predictions

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