With Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf set to return from his two-game suspension in Monday night’s Wild Card bout, Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans is keenly aware of what the big-play receiver’s presence means for Pittsburgh.

“Metcalf gives them their full offense,” Ryans said, via the team’s official transcript. “He lines up as an outside receiver. He does an outstanding job of playing physical. That’s the one thing that sticks out to me with him, is that he’s a physical receiver whether he’s running the go ball, slants, whatever. He plays physical. So, we have to challenge him. We have to step up to the challenge there, we have to play physical versus him as well. It’s going to be a tough challenge. He’s done a great job his entire career of making big plays down the field. I know they’re excited to get him back because he’s such a huge part of their offense. Aaron [Rodgers] will definitely look to go to him a ton. We have our hands full when it comes to challenging him and trying to make a play when the ball is up.”

Despite missing the final two games of the season due to suspension, Metcalf leads Pittsburgh with 850 receiving yards and six touchdowns – the only Pittsburgh player with 500-plus receiving yards. The difference for the Steelers’ passing offense when Metcalf is on the field is evident.

Per Next Gen Stats, with Metcalf on the field, Aaron Rodgers averages a 67.2 completion percentage, 7.1 yards per attempt, with a 23-7 TD-INT ratio and a 99.9 passer rating. When Metcalf isn’t on the field, those numbers plunge to 60.5%, 5.4 YPA, 1-0, and a 77.8 passer rating.

In his career with Seattle, Metcalf thrived in the postseason, averaging 112.8 receiving yards per playoff game with 5 receiving touchdowns in four playoff tilts. His 112.8 receiving yards per game are the most in playoff history for players with at least four games played.

Ryans faced Metcalf four times in the regular season as the defensive coordinator in San Francisco. In those tilts, his defense held the wideout to 65 or fewer yards each time. However, in their one postseason matchup in the 2022 Wild Card round, Metcalf went off for 10 catches, 136 yards and two TDs in a 41-23 Niners victory. Ryans hasn’t faced Metcalf as head coach with the Texans.

Ryans’ defense has been dominant against receivers this season. The Texans allowed an NFL-low 54.4 completion percentage when targeting WRs in 2025 and a 72.9 passer rating (fourth-lowest). QBs had more interceptions (12) than pass TDs (10) when targeting wideouts this season.

Ryans knows slowing Metcalf isn’t the only challenge they face Monday night.

“They’ve done a really great job of balancing and mixing it up,” he said. “They also mix in some of the things that Aaron has always done well in his career. When you spread the formations out, he can see the defense, and he can pick and choose where he wants to go with the football. That’s always been an element of Aaron and what he’s capable of doing.”

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