Ranking the Houston Texans' chances of winning against non-division opponents in the 2023-2024 NFL season
By Brett Hawn
3. Week 4 vs Pittsburgh Steelers
This could very well be the Houston Texans' first win of the season depending on how the cards fall in the first three weeks of the regular season. If the Texans were to lose the first three weeks of the season and win this matchup at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers, 1-3 wouldn't be so bad considering their preseason expectations.
The Texans' defense has a solid chance to handle sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett and the rest of the Steelers offense, though that is heavily dependent on the signal caller’s potential growth. If Pickett is able to build on his positive showing last season, this has the potential to get ugly very fast.
This is especially true considering the current state of the Steelers' defense. While they may not hold a steel curtain-type defense, employing TJ Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and company certainly makes way for an intimidating defensive group, especially with the addition of rookie corner Joey Porter Jr.
A formidable defensive group will not make things easy at home for the Texans but I expect this game to serve as a surprisingly competitive contest early into the new season for this young squad.