The Kansas City Chiefs are one game away from securing the top seed in the AFC after defeating the Houston Texans, 27-19. The Chiefs are undefeated at Arrowhead Stadium for the first time since 2003.
The Chiefs finished the final home game of their regular season schedule on Saturday afternoon, winning their 16th consecutive one-score game. Kansas City will close out the regular season on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday and the Denver Broncos on January 4/5.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes battled through a high-ankle sprain he suffered last week, but it didn’t appear like it bothered him at all as he finished with 93.5 QBR, completing 28/41 for 260 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed five times for 33 yards and a score.
Wide receiver Hollywood Brown made his Chiefs regular-season debut on Saturday. His workload was light as the Chiefs eased him in for his first game since suffering a shoulder injury back in August. Brown ended the game with five catches for 45 yards.
Rookie Xavier Worthy had a big day, catching seven passes for 65 yards and a touchdown.
Houston got the ball first to start the first quarter. On the sixth play of the game, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud threw a pass over wide receiver Nico Collins’ head and into the chest of safety Jaden Hicks for the interception. Kansas City made the Texans pay by cashing the takeaway in for a 15-yard touchdown to take an early lead. Patrick Mahomes capped off a 13-play, 76-yard drive, by scrambling up the middle for the score.
After settling for a field goal late in the first quarter, Houston took their first lead when Stroud opened the second quarter by throwing a ten-yard touchdown to tight end Dalton Schultz while on the run. The score finished a 14-play, 82-yard possession that took just over six minutes off the clock.
At the 8:09 mark, Mahomes connected with Hollywood Brown for a 20-yard gain to convert on 3rd & 7. Eight plays later, Mahomes converted another 3rd down with a 14-yard pass to tight end Travis Kelce to earn a new set of downs at the Houston 18-yard line. After a four-yard gain and an incomplete pass, Mahomes hooked up with Xavier Worthy for an 11-yard completion to convert 3rd and 6. Three yards from the goal line, Kansas City ran the ball up the middle and Kareen Hunt did the rest for the touchdown.
Down 14-10, Houston took possession with 4:38 in the first half. The Texans began moving the ball with a five-yard run by running back Joe Mixon and a two-yard catch by Schultz. On 3rd & 3, Stroud converted by throwing a six-yard pass to wide receiver Tank Dell. On the next play, Stroud looked Dell’s way against, this time for a 13-yard gain to cross midfield. The next play was a 14-yard run by Mixon.
Four plays later, after an offensive pass interference foul and two consecutive incomplete passes, Stroud threw a quick pass looking for Collins on 3rd and 20, but the pass got intercepted by Trent McDuffie. The Chiefs settled for a field goal six plays later and went into halftime with a 17-10 lead.
After forcing Kansas City to punt, Houston opened the scoring in the second half. On 2nd down from the 50-yard line, Stroud connected on a deep pass with wide receiver Robert Woods for a 17-yard gain. After a three-yard run by Mixon, Stroud struck paydirt with a 30-yard touchdown to Tank Dell. The score put the Texans within one but came at the expense of their second-year receiver Dell, who suffered a serious leg injury after the play. Paramedics placed Dell on a stretcher and carted him off the field to rush him to Kansas University Medical Center. Houston could not tie the game after missing the PAT attempt.
At the 8:26 mark in the third quarter, from the 20-yard line, Kansas City began moving the ball with a 19-yard completion from Mahomes to Worthy. Six plays later, Mahomes hooked up with Worthy for a 12-yard completion to set up 1st and 10 at the Houston 19-yard line. Three plays later, Mahomes looked Worthy’s way again for an 8-yard touchdown to extend the lead 24-16.
Both teams began the fourth quarter, settling for field goals on their first possessions in the period, respectively. Houston’s second possession began at their 26-yard line. On 3rd and 11, Joshua Williams sealed the game for Kansas City by sacking Stroud for a 12-yard loss. The Chiefs used its final offensive possession to run the final 3:41 remaining to secure a 27-19 victory over the Texans.
The Chiefs need just one more win to clinch the top seed in the AFC Playoffs. Kansas City’s next game will be Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 25.
