Monday Night Football Open Game Thread: Houston Texans v. Pittsburgh Steelers

While we're still in the first half of the season, thus making any "must win" proclamations inherently suspect, tonight's prime time tilt between your Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers means quite a bit to both teams in terms of playoff aspirations.

Win, and you're 4-3, with a key victory and possible tiebreaker over one of the teams you could well be competing with for that second and final wildcard berth in the AFC. Lose, and you fall to 3-4 with a key loss and the knowledge that you're on the wrong side of the aforementioned tiebreaker for said wildcard berth. A loss tonight doesn't even come close to eliminating the Steelers or Texans from postseason contention, but it looms larger than a loss to, say, some NFC team would.

If the Texans fancy themselves contenders for the playoffs, tonight would go a long way toward showing the world that's the case. Time to settle in and brace ourselves for the next chapter of the 2014 season, Texans fans.

This is your first open thread for the Week Seven Monday Night Football game between the Texans and Steelers. The floor is yours.

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