Mike Tomlin’s eight-year playoff win drought is staring him in the face, and the Pittsburgh Steelers coach has pinpointed the exact two defensive pairings on the Houston Texans that could extend his postseason misery. The Steelers haven’t moved past a playoff round since 2016, and the streak may continue if Tomlin’s concerns are not addressed, as they could give Aaron Rodgers and his unit a tough time moving the ball.

“…Edge rush tandem and that cornerback tandem are both special,” Mike Tomlin shared while speaking on The Rich Eisen Show. “You see why they’re number one in the league in defense. When you got guys that can rush the passer or like those two, [Danielle] Hunter’s got 15, Will Anderson’s got 12. Collectively, they got 27. Then you got two corners, man, that are very aggressive, play close bump and run coverage. I think both got four or more interceptions. And [Derek] Stingley and [Kamari] Lasseter.”

Mike was referring to edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, who have troubled multiple offenses this year. Of the cornerbacks, the partnership between Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter has impressed him the most. Tomlin’s respect for the Texans’ defense is well-founded, as the unit has consistently pressured quarterbacks and locked down receivers all season.

Defensively, head coach DeMeco Ryans’ team ranks first in the league, a testament to the very players Tomlin highlighted. After joining Houston in the 2025 offseason, Hunter has emerged as a mentor to Anderson. Hunter’s 15 sacks rank him third in the league, while Anderson is tied for eighth at 12. Their knack for collapsing the pocket leads the unit, which totals 47 sacks through Week 18.

Much like the dangerous pass rush, Houston’s secondary has limited many daring quarterbacks. Stingley Jr. and Lassiter have both posted four interceptions this season, while Lassiter sits sixth with 17 passes defended. Their top-tier coverage allows the Texans to play confidently up front.

According to ESPN’s rankings, the Texans allow just 277.2 yards per game. The unit once held quarterback Josh Allen to the worst completion rate of his career at 30% and intercepted Jared Goff five times in Week 10. And now, it’s time for Rodgers to face the unforgiving unit and its sticky coverage, making Mike Tomlin’s concerns valid. Meanwhile, the coach’s assessment comes right after he put his locker room on notice. 

Mike Tomlin urges his team to focus on the playoffs

Despite having an experienced coach who brought the Super Bowl home in his second year, the Steelers’ recent playoff history hasn’t been kind. The team has lost all five playoff games in its last eight seasons. The last win came in the 2016 season against the Kansas City Chiefs before the New England Patriots ended their journey by beating them in the AFC championship game. Still, Tomlin is rising above past failures and urging his team to focus on the present. 

“Don’t take home playoff games for granted,” he said via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “Certainly, don’t take Monday night home playoff games for granted.”

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The clash with the Texans is indeed challenging, especially after enduring a humiliating 13-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 17. Even the game against the Baltimore Ravens was a close one, with momentum swinging both ways until the very end. And if we consider Tomlin’s 8–11 playoff record, it just adds to the overall tension. And yet, this coach is just not ready to let the streak define the future.

“You know, it’s not about the organization or myself,” Tomlin said. “It’s about this collective. And quite frankly, most of these men don’t care about the last whatever years (of the streak). Most of them are new to us, and so that’s where my focus is.”

For Tomlin, the Texans matchup is about rewriting the story that starts this week.