With Week 18 wrapped and the path set, the Houston Texans now face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card game. DeMeco Ryans has a shot at a third straight Wild Card win under his watch. However, before C.J. Stroud commands his offense, Ryans is already sounding an alert. One Steelers weapon, often overlooked, is very much on Houston’s radar.

Over the past month, few defenders across the league have been hotter than Alex Highsmith. That surge has not gone unnoticed by Ryans.

“Great pass rush. Both guys. I know T.J. Watt’s one of the all-time sack leaders in the NFL for a reason. Great bloodlines. He had a guy that could teach him how to do it in his brother J.J., so he’s a really good player,” Ryans said. “Also, Highsmith, he doesn’t get enough credit, I think, for the production and how disruptive he is as a pass rusher as well.”

It’s a direct message to Stroud and the Texans offense as Highsmith quietly put together the best season of his career. Earlier this season, Mike Tomlin was reportedly losing faith in his Wide Receiver. But as the regular season is coming to an end, he has proven to be one of the best players in the Black and Gold roster.

Highsmith finished with 9.5 sacks, the most on the Steelers roster. Notably, three of those came in just the final two weeks. He also logged three multi-sack games across the season. Beyond numbers, his impact stayed steady. When Watt missed time with a freak dry-needling injury, Highsmith answered by piling up 16 total pressures in just three games.

On top of that, efficiency tells the real story. Highsmith recorded 44 pressures on the season. That translated to pressure on 13.5 percent of his pass rush snaps. Interestingly, that figure sits just behind his 2024 mark as the second-best rate of his career.

Ultimately, Highsmith may not be a household name outside Steeler Nation, but his tape demands respect. Ryans and the Texans clearly agree.

T.J. Watt, on the other hand, has been putting in the work on the defensive side of things. In the 14 games that Watt played this season, he has a total of 55 tackles and seven sacks.

With one of the weakest offensive lines left in the playoff field, slowing Pittsburgh’s rush is a must. If the Steelers want their first playoff win since 2016, this matchup is exactly where the Silver and Gold can tilt the game. However, Ryans also wants his team to be extra careful because of the rival coach.

DeMeco Ryans warned his team about Mike Tomlin

Despite having issues internally, DeMeco Ryans sees the upcoming game against Mike Tomlin’s squad will prove to be a potential “challenge.”

Facing Mike Tomlin and the Steelers is not just another playoff game. Instead, DeMeco Ryans openly labeled it a “challenge,” knowing exactly what waits inside Acrisure Stadium against a battle-tested group backed by the Steeler Nation.

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At the same time, there is clear respect between the two coaches. Ryans shared how that relationship has grown over time, even away from the field.

“[I] Kept in touch with Mike, get together throughout the owners’ meetings every day. And [he has always been], just always very complimentary in what we’re doing here. Just always positive,” Ryans told the media.

Still, Houston is no stranger to January football. Under Ryans, the Texans have already logged five postseason games across the last three years. In fact, only the Bills have played more AFC playoff games during that span, per Stathead. That experience matters. Yet even with those reps, Ryans knows each postseason test comes with a different feel.

On the other side, the Steelers bring their own resume. They finished fourth overall, just two wins behind Houston and one shy of the Ravens, whom they beat in Week 18 to lock up the AFC North and a playoff spot. The Texans did handle Tomlin’s group back in 2023 with a 30-6 win in Week 4.

However, that result does not carry much weight now, and because of that, Ryans is not overlooking anything.

“It’s a big challenge. Big challenge on Monday night versus the Steelers, and we’re excited about it. Versus a really tough crowd. And you know they’re gonna be loud, and it’s gotta be a really great environment, cool environment for our guys. We haven’t seen that before. It’s gonna be a really great environment for them to witness.”

So for the Texans, this is respect and a warning at the same time.