Texans/Chiefs Divisional Round Preview

    Written by: William Petersen •

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    The NFL Playoffs push on into the Divisional Round as the weekend gets kicked off Saturday with the two-time reigning champs, the Kansas City Chiefs welcome the Houston Texans in Arrowhead Stadium. Houston comes into this weekend's bout with little to lose after putting on one of their best defensive performances in their 32-12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Wildcard Weekend. The Texans managed to force Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert into tough throws all afternoon which led to Herbert throwing a career high four interceptions which ultimately stalled out the Chargers ability to match a Texans offense that came into the playoffs severely banged up. Many people believed the Texans would have a solid chance of making the AFC Championship this season after C.J. Stroud’s impressive rookie season that led to the Texans making the playoffs under first year head coach DeMeco Ryans’. Houston had a lot of expectations heading into the 2024 season, and seemed to crumble under these expectations after finishing the regular season 9-7 while still managing to win the AFC South.

    Injuries have been the story surrounding the Texans shaky 2024 regular season, but DeMeco Ryans and his Texans defense has been the glue that has kept their season together and alive as of late. The Texans came into Wildcard Weekend as three-point underdogs against a Jim Harbaugh led Chargers squad that seemed poised to pull off the road win in their first playoff appearance since the 2022 season when they blew a 20-point lead at halftime to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Houston has relied on the arm talent of Stroud and the connection that he and breakout wide receiver Nico Collins have been able to sustain even after Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs both suffered season ending injuries earlier in the campaign. The key for Stroud to beat the 15-2 Chiefs in Arrowhead on Saturday will stem from Stroud’s ability to limit turnovers while being able to put up points on one of the best defenses in the NFL. Stroud has had trouble limiting interceptions this year, throwing 12 so far, but has been bailed out by his defense as well as veteran running back Joe Mixon who had 25 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown in their win last weekend. Houston will have to force at least two turnovers against an experienced Chiefs offense if they want any chance of leaving Kansas City with a win. If the Texans can force Mahomes into bad throws and see Stroud find Collins on a handful of deep balls, the Texans could give the Chiefs a run for their money.

    Kansas City has now had almost three weeks of rest to prepare for the divisional round after the Chiefs rested the majority of their starters in the final week of the regular season after already securing the number one seed, and first-round bye in the Playoffs. Rest over rust or rust over rest is the classic football cliche that will define the Chiefs on Saturday for a team that is one of the best in terms of record but also in personnel when it comes to gameplanning in the NFL. Andy Reid should have his team dialed in even though they have not had any live action in weeks. Patrick Mahomes threw for 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in the regular season but it has become common knowledge that Mahomes shifts into another gear once the playoffs start. Mahomes also just welcomed his third child earlier this week, another fuel to a fire, as if Mahomes needed any more motivation to try to be the first team to win three-straight Super Bowls. While Mahomes threw an unordinary amount of interceptions in the regular season, he has never thrown a pick in the divisional round in his career. The Chiefs will continue to operate at their normal schedule and if Mahomes continues this impressive streak on Saturday I see no problem with the Chiefs advancing to their sixth-straight AFC Championship.

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