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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs are headed to the AFC Championship Game for the seventh straight season. They clinched their spot on this season’s convention title sport 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 cross from a falling Patrick Mahomes to tight finish Travis Kelce. Though the 2 have related for touchdowns many occasions within the playoffs through the years, this was certainly one of their extra spectacular scores. Mahomes was hit and on his option to the bottom, however he bought the ball to Kelce earlier than taking place.

The Chiefs are 4-2 of their previous six AFC Championship Games. Both losses got here in additional time. The Chiefs will proceed their quest for a 3rd straight Super Bowl title towards the winner of Sunday’s sport between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills. The Texans misplaced within the divisional spherical for the second straight season.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Playoff Kelce. Similar to final season, when Kelce excelled within the postseason, he saved his finest for the playoffs. The tight finish carried the Chiefs’ passing sport 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 sport, giving him the file. Kelce, 35, appeared energized after he and several 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 bought nothing from large receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. No catches. They have been focused 4 occasions.

Troubling development: 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 through the common season. — Adam Teicher

Next sport: AFC Championship Game vs. Bills 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 Game. They had alternatives to drag off the upset, however their errors have been an excessive amount of to beat.

Among their miscues have 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 moments of the sport, once they trailed 13-12 and the Chiefs have been dealing with 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 towards 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 have been as a result of Stroud made a play. But the Texans had hassle overcoming wideouts Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell being out for the postseason with accidents.

Biggest gap within the sport plan: Defending Kelce. The seven-time All-Pro torched the Texans’ protection, totaling 117 receiving yards on seven catches and a landing. Kelce had one sport this season with at the very least 100 receiving yards. The final time he went over 101 yards was towards the Ravens within the 2023 AFC Championship Game.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Special errors. The particular groups unit made vital errors that saved the Texans at a drawback for a lot of the sport. On the sport’s opening kickoff, Houston gave up a 63-yard kickoff return to Kansas City’s Nikko Remigio. That led to a Chiefs area 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 area targets and an additional level attempt after Joe Mixon‘s landing within the third quarter that might have tied the rating at 13. — DJ Bien-Aime