KEYS TO SUCCESS
How Texans’ path to victory over Chiefs starts with these six important keys
Dec 20, 2024, 10:41 am
KEYS TO SUCCESS
Houston (9-5) at Kansas City (13-1)
Saturday, 1 p.m. EST, NBC/Peacock
BetMGM NFL Odds: Chiefs by 3.
Against the spread: Texans 6-6-2, Chiefs 6-8.
Series record: Chiefs lead 9-5.
Last meeting: Chiefs beat Texans 30-24 in OT on Dec. 18, 2022, in Houston.
Last week: Texans beat Dolphins 20-12; Chiefs beat Browns 21-7.
Texans offense: overall (19), rush (17), pass (19), scoring (13).
Texans defense: overall (4), rush (10), pass (6), scoring (10).
Chiefs offense: overall (14), rush (16), pass (13), scoring (12).
Chiefs defense: overall (5), rush (3), pass (13), scoring (5).
Turnover differential: Texans plus-13, Chiefs plus-2.
Derek Stingley had two interceptions and two tackles for loss Sunday, becoming the first cornerback in NFL history with two of each in a game. Both interceptions came in the fourth quarter, including one with less than two minutes remaining that secured Houston’s victory. Stingley, the third overall pick in the 2022 draft, has started each game this season after being slowed by injuries in this first two years. He has four interceptions in the past four games and is second in the NFL with 17 passes defended.
Whomever is playing quarterback. The eyes all week have been on two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes, who sustained a high-ankle sprain late in last week's win in Cleveland. Carson Wentz finished that game, and while it appears that Mahomes will be able to start Saturday, the Chiefs feel confident in the veteran backup's ability to win a game should Mahomes be unable to play. Wentz completed his only two passes for 20 yards against the Browns, helping to run out the clock on the 21-7 victory.
The Texans defense against the Chiefs defense. There are stars galore on the other side of the ball — Mahomes and C.J. Stroud, Travis Kelce and Joe Mixon, DeAndre Hopkins and Nico Collins. Yet both teams have relied heavily on their defenses to clinch division titles. Houston has the league's fourth ranked overall and is No. 6 against the pass, while Kansas City is at No. 5 overall and No. 3 against the run. Both are in the top 10 in scoring.
Texans TE Cade Stover could miss a second straight game after having an emergency appendectomy last Saturday night. DT Foley Fatukasi (ankle) and WR John Metchie (shoulder) missed practice this week. ... Along with Mahomes' sore ankle, Chiefs CB Chamarri Conner (concussion) and LT D.J. Humphries (hamstring) missed practice this week.
The Chiefs have won the past three meetings, beginning with a 51-31 win in the divisional round of the playoffs in the 2019 season. Houston has not beaten the Chiefs since a 31-24 victory at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 13, 2019. The teams also met in a wild-card playoff game in the 2015 season that Kansas City won 30-0.
Houston clinched its second straight division title and eighth in franchise history last week. … Texans QB C.J. Stroud needs 252 yards passing to become the ninth quarterback in NFL history with at least 3,500 yards passing in each of his first two seasons. … Houston RB Joe Mixon has had at least 100 yards rushing and a TD in each of his six road games this season. He had a TD reception against the Chiefs last season while with Cincinnati. He also needs 90 yards rushing for his fifth 1,000-yard season. … Texans WR Nico Collins had two TD catches last week and ranks second in the NFL with 94.3 yards receiving per game this season. … Houston TE Dalton Schultz has had five or more catches in his past two road games. … DE Danielle Hunter had 1½ sacks for Houston last week to give him 12 this season, which ranks second in the NFL. … Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. had a sack and his first career forced fumble last week. He has a career-high 10½ sacks this season. ... The Chiefs need one win to match the best regular-season total in franchise history, set in 2020 and matched two years ago. ... Mahomes needs one TD pass to pass Dan Marino (241) for the second-most TD passes in a player's first eight seasons. Mahomes only played in one game his rookie year. ... TE Travis Kelce needs one TD reception to pass Tony Gonzalez (76) for the most in Chiefs history. Kelce has 79 total TDs, four shy of Priest Holmes' franchise record. ... Kelce has 89 catches of 25 yards or more in his career. He needs 10 more to break Rob Gronkowski's record for a tight end. ... DT Chris Jones needs six sacks to pass Neil Smith (85 1/2) for the third most in Chiefs history. ... Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie had his first NFL interception last week against Cleveland. It came in his 48th game.
The Chiefs have shared carries between Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt since the former's return from an injury. That is unlikely to change Saturday. But given the uncertainty at quarterback for Kansas City, expect both of them to get more work, and perhaps find the end zone once or twice against the Texans.
Yandy Díaz hit a three-run homer, among Tampa Bay's four home runs in the game, and the Rays beat the Houston Astros 8-4 on Wednesday to win their three-game series.
Díaz's shot in the bottom of the eighth followed Josh Lowe and Brandon Lowe homering back-to-back in the fifth and Curtis Mead's first of the season in the fourth.
All four homers were hit off Hunter Brown (6-3), who had allowed just two homers in his nine previous starts.
Taj Bradley (4-3), who gave up a two-run homer to Isaac Paredes in the first, went six innings, allowing just those two runs. Paredes had two home runs in the loss, and now has 10 on the season.
Paredes on a tear!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/jj37iei6i8
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 21, 2025
Rays manager Kevin Cash was ejected for the first time this season in the top of the eighth inning. After the Astros cut the Rays’ lead to a run on a home run from Mauricio Dubón and a second homer from Paredes, Yainer Diaz was called out on a checked swing. The Astros called for a review, saying the ball hit Diaz. Cash was arguing it shouldn’t be reviewed. The call was confirmed.
Yandy Díaz celebrated playing in his 800th career game, 711 with the Rays, with his seventh home run of 2025. He is the 33rd Cuban-born player to play in 800 major league games, including the sixth active player with Aroldis Chapman (817), Yasmani Grandal (1,307), Yuli Gurriel (943), Jose Iglesias (1,212) and Jorge Soler (1,056).
The Rays send right-hander Drew Rasmussen (2-4, 2.93 ERA) to the mound against the Toronto Blue Jays at home Friday night.
The Astros head home to open a key divisional series Thursday against the Mariners. Lance McCullers Jr. (0-1, 7.88 ERA) will make his fourth start since the 2022 playoffs after a rocky return from the injured list.