Chiefs knock off Texans; Mahomes now 7-0 in divisional spherical

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs are headed to the AFC Championship Sport for the seventh straight season. They clinched their spot on this season’s convention title recreation by beating the Houston Texans 23-14 within the divisional spherical at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, giving coach Andy Reid his three hundredth profession win.

The Chiefs prolonged a one-point result in 20-12 early within the fourth quarter on an 11-yard landing move from a falling Patrick Mahomes to tight finish Travis Kelce. Although the 2 have related for touchdowns many occasions within the playoffs through the years, this was one in every of their extra spectacular scores. Mahomes was hit and on his method to the bottom, however he acquired the ball to Kelce earlier than taking place.

The Chiefs are 4-2 of their previous six AFC Championship Video games. Each losses got here in time beyond regulation. The Chiefs will proceed their quest for a 3rd straight Tremendous Bowl title in opposition to the winner of Sunday’s recreation between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Payments. The Texans misplaced within the divisional spherical for the second straight season.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Playoff Kelce. Much like final season, when Kelce excelled within the postseason, he saved his greatest for the playoffs. The tight finish carried the Chiefs’ passing recreation by catching seven passes for 117 yards, together with an 11-yard landing within the fourth quarter. It was his ninth profession 100-yard playoff recreation, giving him the report. Kelce, 35, appeared energized after he and a number of other key gamers rested in Week 18 as a result of the Chiefs clinched the AFC’s high playoff seed and a wild-card bye with one week left within the common season.

Most shocking efficiency: The Chiefs acquired nothing from extensive receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. No catches. They had been focused 4 occasions.

Troubling pattern: The Chiefs allowed strain on Mahomes regardless of the Texans not blitzing usually. The Texans pressured Mahomes 5 occasions on 13 passes within the first half and issues did not get higher. This has been an issue for a lot of the season for the Chiefs. Mahomes was sacked a career-high 36 occasions throughout the common season. — Adam Teicher

Subsequent recreation: AFC Championship Sport vs. Payments or Ravens (6:30 p.m. ET, Jan. 26)

The Texans fell to 0-6 within the divisional spherical and did not get to their first AFC Championship Sport. That they had alternatives to tug off the upset, however their errors had been an excessive amount of to beat.

Amongst their miscues had been a number of pointless roughness calls, eight complete penalties, missed and blocked kicks, and quarterback C.J. Stroud getting sacked eight occasions.

In one of the vital important moments of the sport, once they trailed 13-12 and the Chiefs had been going through a third-and-goal from the 11, the protection could not sort out Mahomes in time earlier than he fired a landing to Kelce.

Eye-popping stat: Stroud confronted a career-high 23 complete pressures and was below strain on 56% of his dropbacks. The pressures led to eight sacks, tying a profession excessive set in Week 9 in opposition to the New York Jets.

QB breakdown: Stroud’s numbers weren’t nice (245 passing yards and no touchdowns), however his efficiency handed the attention check. He used his legs to increase performs for completions and scramble for a number of first downs. The Texans went 10-for-17 on third downs and all however two of the conversions had been as a result of Stroud made a play. However the Texans had hassle overcoming wideouts Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell being out for the postseason with accidents.

Largest gap within the recreation plan: Defending Kelce. The seven-time All-Professional torched the Texans’ protection, totaling 117 receiving yards on seven catches and a landing. Kelce had one recreation this season with at the very least 100 receiving yards. The final time he went over 101 yards was in opposition to the Ravens within the 2023 AFC Championship Sport.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Particular errors. The particular groups unit made important errors that saved the Texans at an obstacle for many of the recreation. On the sport’s opening kickoff, Houston gave up a 63-yard kickoff return to Kansas Metropolis’s Nikko Remigio. That led to a Chiefs discipline objective and a heated second when defensive again Kris Boyd shoved particular groups coach Frank Ross on the sideline. Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed two discipline targets and an additional level strive after Joe Mixon‘s landing within the third quarter that might have tied the rating at 13. — DJ Bien-Aime