PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sheldon Rankins returned a fumble by Aaron Rodgers 33 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to highlight a dominant performance by the NFL’s top-ranked defense, and the Houston Texans beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 on Monday night for the first road playoff win in franchise history.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 12: Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers passes the ball while pressured by Danielle Hunter #55 of the Houston Texans in the second quarter of an NFL wild card playoff game at Acrisure Stadium on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

The Texans (13-5) play at New England (15-3) in the divisional round on Sunday night.

C.J. Stroud turned it over three times but also threw a first-half touchdown pass to Christian Kirk, who had eight catches for 144 yards. Woody Marks had 112 yards rushing for Houston, which had been 0-6 on the road in the postseason before shutting down Rodgers and the Steelers (10-8).

Marks’ 13-yard touchdown run with 3:43 to go sealed it, and Calen Bullock added Houston’s second defensive score with a 50-yard pick-6 less than a minute later on Rodgers’ final throw of the game — and possibly his 21-year career.

Rodgers passed for just 146 yards as the Steelers were held to 175 yards of offense. The four-time MVP will take some time before deciding whether to return next fall.

While Rodgers’ play down the stretch was one of the reasons the Steelers won the AFC North, he struggled in much the same way his predecessors Russell Wilson and Mason Rudolph did as Pittsburgh lost its seventh straight playoff game and dropped a Monday night home game for the first time since 1991.

His Hall of Fame career may have ended on a forced downfield throw that Bullock stepped in front of. Rodgers tried and failed to tackle Bullock on the way to the end zone.

The Steelers’ defense, long the biggest problem during a playoff victory drought that is nearing a decade, forced Stroud into numerous mistakes and kept Pittsburgh in the game until late.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 12: Woody Marks #27 of the Houston Texans runs the ball in the third quarter of an NFL wild card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

The result, however, was the same as it has been for the Steelers and coach Mike Tomlin since they fell to New England in the 2016 AFC championship game, with a long walk to the locker room and a longer-than-hoped-for offseason to figure out what went wrong.

Houston’s 10th straight win was hardly a thing of beauty, as a thrilling opening weekend of the playoffs ended with a rock fight between clubs trying to shed some ignominious playoff history.

The Texans survived the way they have much of the season, by letting the league’s best defense smother their opponent.

The Steelers failed to capitalize on the miscues from a jittery Stroud, who fumbled twice and threw a pick. Pittsburgh scored just three points off those turnovers.

Not even the return of wide receiver DK Metcalf from a two-game suspension for making contact with a fan in Detroit helped. Metcalf finished with two catches for 42 yards and had a critical drop that cost the Steelers a chance to extend a 3-0 lead.

The Texans gathered themselves after an iffy start and took a 7-6 lead when Stroud finished off a 16-play, 92-yard drive by flipping a pass to Kirk for a 4-yard touchdown.

Stroud let a chance to extend the lead get away early in the second half when he was intercepted deep in Pittsburgh territory.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 12: Payton Wilson #41 of the Pittsburgh Steelers and James Pierre #42 of the Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Christian Kirk #13 of the Houston Texans in the second quarter of an NFL wild card playoff game at Acrisure Stadium on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

The Steelers’ offense again did nothing with the opportunity.

Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 51-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter pushed Houston’s lead to 10-6. Will Anderson sacked Rodgers on Pittsburgh’s ensuing possession, the ball popped loose and Rankins alertly scooped it up and raced to the end zone to put the Texans up by 11.

Unlike a heart-stopping fourth-quarter rally against Baltimore that earned them their first AFC North title since 2020, this time there was no late-game magic from Rodgers and the Steelers.

Instead, Tomlin’s postseason losing streak hit seven, tying Marvin Lewis of the Bengals for the longest playoff skid by an NFL coach.

While the NFL’s longest-tenured coach is all but assured of returning for a 20th season if he wants — even if there were chants for his firing in the final moments — Pittsburgh heads into yet another offseason in search of a quarterback and answers to a playoff drought whose weight seems to grow by the year.

Houston, meanwhile, heads to New England as the hottest team in the NFL with a quarterback who will be eager for a chance at a reprieve and a defense that can keep a game close against any opponent.

Related Articles

Frederick: Should J.J. McCarthy be Vikings 2026 starting QB? Depends on Brian Flores

AFC Playoffs: Patriots grind out win over Chargers

NFC Playoffs: 49ers oust defending champion Eagles

AFC Playoffs: Bills overcome Jaguars

Packers face uncertain future after playoff collapse in Chicago

Ice arenas vary greatly in capacity, number of locker rooms, concession stand variety and general indoor temperature, as anyone who has watched a game in certain community rinks can tell you. But as a general rule, the goals and the puck are always the same size.

ST PAUL, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 12: Matt Boldy #12 of the Minnesota Wild shoots against the Jacob Markstrom #25 of the New Jersey Devils in the first period at Grand Casino Arena on January 12, 2026 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Brad Rempel/Getty Images)

All too often in their meeting with the New Jersey Devils on Monday night at Grand Casino Arena, small details like the finite dimensions of the red-framed opening at the front of the net – six feet wide by four feet high – seemed to challenge the Minnesota Wild.

For a team that preaches attention to detail and playing the game their way, simple details like putting the puck on the net were critically lacking, and the result was one of their worst home losses of the season.

In the opening 20 minutes of what would eventually become a 5-2 defeat, the Wild sent 22 shots in the vague direction of Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom. He stopped six of them. Six more were blocked by Devils defenders. And 10 of them eluded that all-important opening that utters “goal” or “no goal” without saying a word.

“We had some looks, we just weren’t as sharp as we needed to be tonight,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “Whether it was the first period or through the game, we did have some real quality looks. But I just think overall we weren’t as we needed to be.”

ST PAUL, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 12: Kirill Kaprizov #97 of the Minnesota Wild skates with the puck against the New Jersey Devils in the first period at Grand Casino Arena on January 12, 2026 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Brad Rempel/Getty Images)

After a 4-1-2 record in their longest road trip in franchise history, the Wild fell to 0-1-1 at home so far in 2026, with one more chance to make amends on this homestand, Thursday when they host Winnipeg.

Facing his brothers — Devils standouts Jack and Luke — for the first time in a Wild sweater, Minnesota defenseman Quinn Hughes even got in on the “shots near goal” party, clanking the post in the opening period. That doesn’t count as a shot on goal, even though a hockey writer friend once argued, vehemently, that a shot that hits the post or the crossbar is technically on the goal.

The loss was a tough one for Quinn, who is now 1-8-0 head-to-head versus brother Jack, and for Wild coach John Hynes, who got his first NHL head coaching job in New Jersey in 2015, and got fired from same four years later.

“Yeah, I think you want this one, but also just, lost the last game, lost tonight,” Quinn Hughes said. “Just more worried about that aspect.”

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (25) stops the puck while pressured by Minnesota Wild right wing Danila Yurov (22) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

The near miss parade continued in the middle frame when Vladimir Tarasenko had plenty of net to shoot at as Markstrom had slid out of position. Perhaps celebrating the anniversary of Blair Walsh’s legendary contribution to Minnesota sports woe, Tarasenko pushed it wide left.

Trailing from the time in the first when the Devils scored on their first shot of the game, it was not until late in the second when Brock Faber fired a shot from long range, and it deflected off Ryan Hartman in front of the net to forge a tie.

The goal came at the end of close to two minutes where the Wild’s details were impeccable, trapping New Jersey in the defensive zone long enough to change all three forwards without losing possession of the puck.

But the tie was frustratingly brief.

A sloppy final minute of the second period ended with the Devils returning the favor, by controlling play for an extended shift, then slipping a puck between Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt’s knees with 7.5 seconds on the clock, and taking a lead into the second resurfacing break.

ST PAUL, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 12: Ondrej Palat #18 of the New Jersey Devils scores against the Jesper Wallstedt #30 of the Minnesota Wild in the third period at Grand Casino Arena on January 12, 2026 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Brad Rempel/Getty Images)

Then New Jersey ended any remaining drama with two Jesper Bratt goals 21 seconds apart in the third to lead by three. Hartman beat Markstrom on a solo rush to the net in the latter half of the third, but the puck smacked the post and stayed out, in keeping with the evening’s theme of home team frustration.

“Hockey’s hard. You don’t always score,” said Wild forward Matt Boldy, who leads the team with 27 goals. “It is what it is. If you sat there and complained every time it didn’t go in, you’d have a long, frustrating career.”

By the time Marcus Foligno scored a power play goal in the final 20 seconds, roughly half the audience had already left the rink,

Wallstedt did what he could, finishing with 24 saves but losing in regulation for just the third time this season. Markstrom turned away 20 shots for the Devils, who came to Minnesota on a four-game losing streak, but ended the skid in dramatic fashion.

The Wild were without center Joel Eriksson Ek for a second consecutive game and missing defenseman Zach Bogosian for a fourth game in a row.

“Today it feels weird because we get slapped 5-2, but I think it’s been good,” Foligno said. “We’re without Ekker, a big piece, and Bogo too. But I like the way we’ve been playing.”

Hynes said both Eriksson Ek and Bogosian are considered day to day and could potentially return to face the Jets on Thursday.

Related Articles

Marathon road trip helps Quinn Hughes adjust to life with Wild

Youth hockey reunion with Wild produces Ben Jones’ first goal

Islanders spoil Wild homecoming with OT win

Overall, World Juniors was a Minnesota win, organizers say

Wild: After victory over Kraken, it was a whale of a road trip

Federal immigration agents have been reported across greater Minnesota as heightened enforcement activities continue in the Twin Cities.

Minnesotans across the state are reporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in their communities, from Rochester to Detroit Lakes. In the last month, the Department of Homeland Security has dispatched thousands of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to Minnesota for immigration enforcement in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

Tensions in the Twin Cities and state have soared after ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed 37-year old Renee Good in Minneapolis on Wednesday. Amid widespread protests after the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said “hundreds” more officers would be sent to Minnesota, Reuters reported.

ICE activity appears to have fanned out across the state, with increasing reports of agents in smaller Minnesota cities.

On Monday, the Detroit Lakes Tribune reported that ICE arrested a man in Detroit Lakes at the China Buffet restaurant. In a video posted of ICE agents outside the restaurant, an agent says the man will be taken to the ICE Field Office at 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling.

According to the U.S. Justice Department website, that address is the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, a field office for ICE which covers several midwestern states and an epicenter of anti-ICE protests in recent days.

In St. Cloud, witnesses report chaos as armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents descended on a strip mall to arrest someone Monday. According to St. Cloud LIVE reporting, witnesses said two protesters and a Somali resident were detained. Bystanders were pepper-sprayed, the story said.

The report from St. Cloud comes after St. Cloud LIVE confirmed ICE activity in St. Cloud and Waite Park on Saturday. On Sunday afternoon, more than 3,000 protesters lined several blocks along Division Street in St. Cloud in a demonstration against recent ICE activity in central Minnesota.

Late last week, the Rochester Post Bulletin reported about an increased presence of federal immigration agents in the far southeast Minnesota city. There, local lawmakers said they were aware of increased ICE activity in the area.

The Alexandria Echo Press reported ICE agents were spotted in Alexandria Saturday.

Reports of immigration enforcement have caused at least one area business to close for the time being. Don Pablo’s Mexican Restaurant, which has locations in Fergus Falls and Detroit Lakes, closed until further notice on Sunday, citing ICE activity.

Fargo-Moorhead area

While ICE activity has not been confirmed in the Fargo-Moorhead area, some residents have posted about ICE presence in the community on social media and websites that track ICE operations. Some have posted reports of ICE sightings on iceout.org, though those reports are unverified. The website allows users to upload reports of ICE sightings with photos and videos.

Fargo Police Chief Dave Zibolski told WDAY News federal authorities have not made his department aware of any operations they may have going on in the city.

He said his department has received calls from community members about suspected ICE activity around schools, but when officers checked it out, that was not the case.

The Moorhead Police Department declined an interview request about ICE operations in Moorhead, instead sending a written statement on behalf of Police Chief Chris Helmick.

“The Moorhead Police Department does not comment on operations conducted by other agencies, including ICE,” Helmick said. “We are not in a position to confirm or provide information regarding their activities or whereabouts.”

In December, the Moorhead Police Department told WDAY the Moorhead Police Department would not assist with ICE operations in Moorhead. The department enforces local and state law. Immigration is a federal civil matter.

Moorhead Area Public Schools Superintendent Brandon Lunak addressed concerns about immigration enforcement in a message to families Monday. The school district follows laws to protect the privacy, safety and educational rights of students, he said.

“As part of our enrollment and registration process, we do not request or maintain information about the immigration status of our students or families,” Lunak said.

Additionally, district policy prohibits an outside agency from entering Moorhead schools without permission, a valid warrant or court order. Federal law limits the district from sharing student education records without written parental consent or a lawfully issued order, Lunak said.

“Our priority is to ensure that students feel safe, supported, and welcome in our schools so they can attend regularly, remain engaged and stay focused on learning and growth,” Lunak wrote.

On Monday, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her jointly announced a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to end the immigration enforcement activity in Minnesota. The lawsuit argues that the surge violates the First and 10th amendments of the U.S. Constitution, the Constitution’s guarantee of equal sovereignty between state and federal governments and a violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.

Former Gophers star safety Koi Perich committed to Oregon on Monday.

The Esko, Minn., native picked the Ducks over Texas Tech; the rising junior visited both of those College Football Playoff programs after entering the transfer portal last week.

Perich had an outstanding freshman year and a bit of a sophomore slump. He will look to bounce back with one of the Big Ten’s best and best-funded programs.

Perich is the highest-profile player to exit the Gophers after the 2025 season. He heads to Eugene, Ore., just like former running back Bucky Irving in 2022.

The loss of Irving stung as he put up two 1,000 yards seasons and has had success with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Once he’s done at Oregon, he could represent another big one who got away from Minneapolis. Minnesota and Oregon, however, do not play each other in 2026 or 2027 and Perich has two years of eligibility remaining.

Related Articles

Gophers add fourth defensive lineman to transfer portal class

Gophers take another running back transfer in Elon’s TJ Thomas

Gophers stock up with defensive tackle transfer Xion Chapman

Gophers stock up with transfer defensive tackle Zion Chapman

For Isaac Fruechte, returning to Gophers is a dream come true