The last time the Steelers played on Christmas Day in 2017, the world was a different place. Perfect by Ed Sheeran was the top-charting song. The iPhone 8 was released in September of that year. Across town, the Pittsburgh Penguins were in pursuit of their second of back-to-back Stanley Cups. Like the world, the Steelers look sizably different than they did in 2017 when they faced the Texans on Christmas Day.
Pittsburgh traveled to Houston on Christmas Day in 2017 to take on the Texans. The NFL blessed the nation with Big Roethlisberger versus TJ Yates. The Steelers emerged victorious by a score of 34-6 behind big games from Juju Smith-Schuster and Le’veon Bell. The Texans superstar at the time, DeAndre Hopkins tried to fight back but the Pittsburgh onslaught was too much.
Smith-Schuster caught six passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, including a 49-yard reception. Bell rushed for 69 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts and caught five passes for 28 yards in the win. Vance McDonald chipped in with four receptions for 52 yards and Justin Hunter caught one pass for a touchdown. Roosevelt Nix did his best late-career Jerome Bettis impersonation, posting one rush attempt that was a one-yard touchdown.
Hopkins caught four passes for 65 yards and a touchdown, but he wasn’t too happy with Vince Williams trying to cuddle up after the touchdown catch. Other than that, the Pittsburgh defense had the Texans in a pretzel all day. Artie Burns grabbed himself an interception. Mike Hilton had three sacks and a forced fumble. Cam Heyward added his own two sacks and forced fumble, with Stephon Tuitt and Sean Spence each registering a sack and forced fumble.
Chris Boswell took a trip to Wendys for the holiday, going four for four on extra points and two for two on field goals. Roethlisberger went 20 for 29 with 226 yards and two touchdown passes while TJ Yates completed just seven of his 16 passing attempts for 83 yards and a touchdown. He got sacked six times and fumbled three times. It was a brutal holiday for the Texans.
Unlike the Steelers’ most recent game against the Ravens, on Christmas Day in 2016, Pittsburgh beat the Ravens in the final seconds of the game. Antonio Brown caught a pass with nine seconds remaining in the game and fought off multiple Ravens to cross the goal line and win the game 31-27. The Steelers legend delivered Pittsburgh the greatest Christmas gift that he could have in 2016.
Le’veon Bell led the way for Pittsburgh. He rushed for 122 yards and one touchdown and caught a touchdown pass. Brown had 95 yards and the game-winning touchdown. Eli Rogers chipped in with four receptions for 84 yards including a 39-yard reception. Roethlisberger went 24 for 33 for 279 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions.
On defense, Ryan Shazier grabbed an interception on Joe Flacco. Lawrence Timmons and Bud Dupree both sacked him once. Boswell went four for four on extra points and made his lone field goal attempt. He’s always been perfect and still is to this day. Joe Flacco threw for 262 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Soon-to-be Hall of Famer Steve Smith Sr caught seven passes for 79 yards and a touchdown while Dennis Pitta added eight catches for 75 yards. He was once Big Ben’s favorite target in Pittsburgh, but in this game, Mike Wallace was with the bad guys wearing purple. He hauled in four passes for 21 yards. Before Antonio Brown in Pittsburgh, Mike Wallace was the go-to weapon.
Fast forward to Christmas Day 2024 and the Steelers will welcome the 14-1 Kansas City Chiefs into Acrisure Stadium for what could be a white Christmas in Western Pennsylvania. Much like the 2016 game on Christmas, this game will have heavy implications for AFC North standings. DeAndre Hopkins will get his chance to be the Grinch and get his holiday revenge on Mike Tomlin and the Steelers. This time he will have Patrick Mahomes throwing him passes instead of TJ Yates. The difference that seven years can make.
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