HOUSTON — Large receiver Christian Kirk stepped up in a giant means within the Houston Texans’ wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday evening, and the staff may have him to duplicate that efficiency if fellow receiver Nico Collins cannot play Sunday.
Kirk’s career-high 144 receiving yards helped gasoline the Texans’ 30-6 win and set a franchise postseason report, eclipsing Collins’ mark from final 12 months’s wild-card win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I used to be actually pleased for Christian figuring out the kind of man that he’s,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans mentioned. “He is top-of-the-line guys in our locker room and he works extraordinarily onerous all through the week. He is been grinding all season to be an affect participant for us. I am pleased it labored out for him in certainly one of our largest video games of the 12 months.”
Quarterback C.J. Stroud leaned on Kirk as he grinded by way of an uncharacteristic evening wherein he threw an interception and misplaced two fumbles. The three turnovers had been his most in a sport since his rookie season.
However Stroud and Kirk had been nonetheless capable of execute on pivotal third downs, with the Professional Bowl quarterback focusing on Kirk 9 instances for 126 yards and a landing. Kirk particularly got here up massive after Collins and Justin Watson entered the concussion protocol and had been dominated out within the second half.
“I believe he is top-of-the-line within the league,” Stroud mentioned of Kirk. “We have tried to search out methods to get him the ball. … I instructed him it isn’t straightforward being within the 12 months he is in [and] not having the manufacturing, stats-wise. For him to maintain going week in and week out, prepping the fitting means, to see it pay off was actually dope. Tremendous happy with him.”
The common season was up and down for Kirk, whom Houston traded a 2025 seventh-round choose to accumulate from the Jacksonville Jaguars within the offseason. Kirk, in his eighth 12 months, completed with a career-low 239 receiving yards within the common season, the place he missed 4 video games with hamstring accidents. His 64 receiving yards in Week 5 in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens was his excessive within the common season.
Texans WR Nico Collins will not be at apply in the present day.
That just about slams the door on him enjoying this week in opposition to the Patriots.
— DJ Bien-Aime (@Djbienaime) January 15, 2026
As for Collins’ availability for Sunday’s divisional spherical sport in opposition to the New England Patriots on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC), Ryans mentioned, “We’ll see how the week goes.” The Professional Bowl wideout did not apply Wednesday, and the final time he suffered a concussion — in Week 7 in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks — he did not play the next week.
“We’re one unit, and any of us at any second can step up and be capable to fill the void, and make performs when they’re wanted,” Kirk mentioned. “My quantity was referred to as, and I am glad I used to be capable of step up in these moments.”
