AFC Wild-Card Playoff Capsules

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) at 3. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)

Time/TV: 8:15 p.m. (CBS)

Line: Steelers by 3

Playoff records: Steelers 33-22; Bengals 5-13

Last playoff game: Steelers lost wild-card game 30-17 vs. Baltimore Ravens, Jan. 3, 2015. Bengals lost wild-card game 26-10 at Indianapolis Colts, Jan. 4, 2015.

2015 leaders: Steelers: QB Ben Roethlisberger 319-469 for 3,938 yards, 21 TD, 16 INT; RB DeAngelo Williams 200-907, 11 TD; WR Antonio Brown 136-1,834, 10 TD. Bengals: QB Andy Dalton 255-386 for 3,250 yards, 25 TD, 7 INT; RB Jeremy Hill 223-794, 11 TD; WR A.J. Green 86-1,297, 10 TD.

Notable: The Steelers must be living right. After a devastating loss to Baltimore threatened their playoff hopes in the season’s 11th hour, the New York Jets turned into pumpkins at midnight at Buffalo and let Pittsburgh back in. Bengals will start AJ McCarron, the sixth consecutive backup QB the Steelers will face. The offense thrives on its air game, with Antonio Brown targeted an eye-popping 193 times. But the loss of running back DeAngelo Williams (ankle) will hurt. Steelers have 12 players with an interception and 16 with a sack. The Bengals are in the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year but are winless in their previous four games, with a total of 43 points and nine turnovers in those quick exits. Cincinnati has three players with double-digit TD totals (Tyler Eifert 14, Jeremy Hill 12, A.J. Green 10) and two with double-digit sacks (Carlos Dunlap 13.5 and Geno Atkins 11.0). Safety Reggie Nelson has eight interceptions and two recovered fumbles.

5. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) at 4. Houston Texans (9-7)

Time/TV: 4:35 p.m. (ABC/ESPN)

Line: Chiefs by 3 1/2

Playoff records: Chiefs 8-15; Texans 2-2

Last playoff game: Chiefs lost wild-card game 45-44 at Indianapolis Colts, Jan. 4, 2014. Texans lost division game 41-28 at New England Patriots, Jan. 13, 2013.

2015 leaders: Chiefs: QB Alex Smith 307-470 for 3,486 yards, 20 TD, 7 INT; RB Charcandrick West 160-634, 4 TD; WR Jeremy Maclin, 87-1,088, 8 TD. Texans: QB Brian Hoyer 224-369 for 2,606 yards, 19 TD, 7 INT; RB Alfred Blue 183-698, 2 TD; WR DeAndre Hopkins 111-1,521, 11 TD.

Notable: Texans are 7-2 since Nov. 1 despite starting Brian Hoyer, T.J. Yates and Brandon Weeden at quarterback. Hoyer is back under center. Running game has been surprisingly effective, averaging more than 157 yards the past six outings. Passing attack relies on DeAndre Hopkins, but he has had just one game of 100 yards over the past six. Defense, led by NFL sack leader J.J. Watt (17.5), has forced 10 turnovers in the past three games. Texans lost opener 27-20 vs. Kansas City. Chiefs’ last playoff win was engineered by Hall of Famer Joe Montana against Hall of Famer Warren Moon on Jan. 16, 1994. They’ve lost their past eight postseason dates. They come into the playoffs as the NFL’s hottest team, winning 10 in a row. Dominant defense tallied 22 interceptions and 47 sacks. Opponents have averaged just 12.8 points during win streak. Offense tapered off during final five games with seven turnovers and no passing total over 180 yards. QB Alex Smith has three playoff games under his belt, with 873 total passing yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions.

Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 8:16 PM with the headline "AFC Wild-Card Playoff Capsules."