Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Houston Texans RECAP, score and stats (12/25/17) | NFL Week 16

The Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3), led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, met the Houston Texans (4-10), led by quarterback Deshaun Watson, in a Christmas Day AFC matchup in NFL Week 16 on Sunday, December 25, 2017 (12/25/17) at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Check the scoreboard above for the final score and click on the stats link for game stats.

Here's the AP recap:

HOUSTON (AP) -- Ben Roethlisberger told his teammates they didn't need to make up for Antonio Brown's absence. He just wanted everyone to do what they could to help out, figuring that would be enough.

It certainly was.

"I know everyone was thinking about A.B. not being out there and trying to fill those shoes, but you can't fill those shoes," Roethlisberger said. "I just tried to tell them: 'Don't try to fill them, just try to be the best you can be.'"

Roethlisberger threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns in the first game since Brown injured his calf, and the Steelers clinched a first-round playoff bye with a 34-6 win over the Texans. Roethlisberger threw passes to six players as Pittsburgh (12-3) romped over the lowly Texans (4-11) despite missing the NFL's leading receiver.

"It just kind of shows how many weapons we actually have in our offense ... everybody played well," Le'Veon Bell said. "Ben made the plays when he needed to. I made some plays on third down when I needed to. It was literally a total team effort."

The Steelers led 20-0 at halftime after taking advantage of two turnovers by the Texans. Bell added a 10-yard TD run late in the third quarter and rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster made it 34-6 with an 18-yard touchdown grab in the fourth.

Bell finished with 14 carries for 69 yards and Smith-Schuster had six receptions for 75 yards.

"Significant day for us," Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. "Our last regular-season road game, finishing 7-1, getting our 12th win, securing a ticket to the second round. All very positive things, but it's kind of the culmination of being singularly focused on the next opportunity."

T.J. Yates was 7 of 16 for 83 yards and a touchdown for the Texans, who lost their fifth straight game and for the eighth time in nine games.

"It's brutal," coach Bill O'Brien said of Houston's skid. "It's been a tough year."

Yates made his second straight start since Tom Savage sustained a concussion. Yates left the game briefly on Monday to be evaluated for a concussion, and his replacement, Taylor Heinicke, sustained a concussion on his only full possession.

Roethlisberger was replaced by backup Landry Jones with about six minutes remaining and the game well in hand.

The Steelers hurried and harassed Yates all day with Mike Hilton leading the way with three sacks and three quarterback hits, Cameron Heyward adding two and forcing a fumble. Hilton became the first cornerback with three sacks in a game since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

The Texans couldn't do much right on a day their home stadium was overtaken by vocal Steelers fans waving their Terrible Towels. One of the few highlights came on an acrobatic 3-yard touchdown reception by DeAndre Hopkins in the fourth quarter. Hopkins deflected the ball with his right hand, reeled it in with his left and got both feet down before falling out of bounds for his NFL-best and franchise-record 13th touchdown reception.

Hopkins may have been the only one who wasn't impressed with the grab.

"I'm mad I didn't catch it the first time," he said. "Like me, who I am, I was supposed to catch that one the first time with my right hand."

The Steelers took a 10-0 lead when Roethlisberger connected with Justin Hunter on a 5-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter.

Alfred Blue had a 48-yard run on the first play of the second quarter to get the Texans to the Pittsburgh 18-yard line. The Texans got to the 1 on second down later in that drive, but couldn't do anything on the next two plays before Yates was intercepted in the end zone.

Pittsburgh added a touchdown on a 1-yard run by Roosevelt Nix on the ensuing possession. Heyward sacked Yates three plays later and caused a fumble recovered by Bud Dupree to give the Steelers the ball right back.

Pittsburgh added a 36-yard field goal on the next drive to push the lead to 20-0.

Yates was sacked again on Houston's next possession and injured on the play. He left the game to be evaluated for a concussion, forcing the Texans to play Heinicke.

Heinicke finished that possession and remained in the game for the first drive of the third quarter while Yates was being evaluated. But Heinicke took a hard hit on a sack on the last play of that drive and had to be evaluated for a concussion, too.

FAMILY TIME

J.J. Watt didn't get to play on Monday as he recovers from a broken leg, but spent some time pregame with his brother, Pittsburgh rookie linebacker T.J. Watt. Houston's defensive end threw the ball around with T.J. and the brothers also posed for some pictures with their parents before the game.

T.J. was disappointed that his brother didn't get to play on Monday, but is looking forward to seeing him return next season.

"I wish he was out there just to be a dominant force for them," T.J. said. "But I know he'll come back bigger, faster and stronger."

INJURY UPDATE

Houston cornerback Kevin Johnson injured his knee in the third quarter and didn't return. ... Texans safety Corey Moore also injured his knee in the second half and didn't return.

UP NEXT

Steelers: Host the Browns on Sunday.

Texans: Visit Indianapolis on Sunday.

Here's what you need to know:

Who: Steelers vs. Texans

When: Sunday, Dec. 25, 2017

Where: NRG Stadium, Houston

Time: 4:30 p.m. Eastern

TV: NBC

Livestream: NBC Sports Live

Line: Steelers -9

Steelers notes: QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER completed 22 of 30 (73.3 pct.) for 281 yards with 2 TDs vs. 1 INT for 110.6 rating last week. Has 99+ rating in 4 of past 5. In 4 career meetings, has 6 TDs vs. 1 INT for 111 rating. * RB LE'VEON BELL leads NFL with 1,849 scrimmage yards & 1,222 rush yards. Had 165 scrimmage yards (117 rush, 48 rec.) & rush TD last week. Has 655 scrimmage yards (163.8 per game) with 5 TDs (3 rush, 2 rec.) in past 4. Had 145 scrimmage yards (88 rec., 57 rush) & TD catch in last meeting. Leads NFL RBs with 80 catches & is 1 of 4 RBs in league history with 80+ catches in 2 different seasons. * WR JU JU SMITH-SCHUSTER (rookie) had 6 catches for 114 yards last week. Has 95+ rec. yards & TD in 2 of past 3 on road. Ties for 3rd among rookies with 5 TD catches & ranks 3rd with 699 rec. yards. WR MARTAVIS BRYANT had TD catch last week. Had TD in last meeting. WR ELI ROGERS had rec. TD in Week 15. * LB VINCE WILLIAMS had 1st career INT last week. Aims for 3rd in row on road with sack. S SEAN DAVIS aims for 3rd in row with 10+ tackles. DE CAMERON HEYWARD had sack in Week 15. Has 5 sacks in past 5. Ties for 6th in AFC with career-high 10 sacks. LB BUD DUPREE has sack in 2 of past 3. CB ARTIE BURNS has 7 PD in past 6 on road. Rookie LB T.J. WATT has 2 sacks in past 4. Ranks 2nd among rookies with 6 sacks. DE TYSON ALUALU had FF in last game vs. Hou. (12/18/16 with Jax.).

Texans notes: QB T.J. YATES has 3 TD passes in past 2. Has won 2 of past 3 starts. * RB LAMAR MILLER has 631 scrimmage yards (90.1 per game) with 3 TDs (2 rec., 1 rush) in past 7 at home. Is 1 of 3 RBs in franchise history (DOMANICK WILLIAMS & ARIAN FOSTER) with 1,000+ scrimmage yards in consecutive seasons. RB ALFRED BLUE had TD catch in last meeting. * WR DE ANDRE HOPKINS leads NFL with 12 TD catches. Ties for 4th in NFL with 92 catches & can become 2nd player in franchise history (ANDRE JOHNSON) with multiple 100+ catch seasons. Has 15 catches for 229 rec. yards (114.5 per game) with 3 TDs in past 2. Had 108 rec. yards in only career meeting. Since 2015, is 1 of 2 players (ANTONIO BROWN) with 275+ catches (281) & 25+ rec. TDs (27). WR WILL FULLER V has 5 TDs in his past 5 at home. * DE JADEVEON CLOWNEY ranks 2nd in NFL with 20 TFL. Has 6 TFL & 3 sacks in past 3 at home. Leads team with career-high 9 sacks. Since 2016, has 36 TFL, 2nd most in NFL. LB BENARDRICK MC KINNEY has 5 TFL in past 6 at home. Is 1 of 4 in AFC with 80+ tackles (83) & 10+ TFL (10). Rookie LB ZACH CUNNINGHAM has 3 TFL, 1.5 sacks & PD in past 3. CB JOHNATHAN JOSEPH is 1 of 2 active players (TERENCE NEWMAN) with 25+ career INTs (28) & 160+ PD (168). S MARCUS GILCHRIST had sack in 12/9/12 meeting (with Chargers). -- NFL Communications

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