- Chiefs’ chances to win Super Bowl: 22.7%
- Texans’ chances to win Super Bowl: 3.7%
Be careful what you wish for, AFC West.
So much for the idea the Texans would offer little resistance after a late-season tailspin, as they blew out the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 to earn a trip to Kansas City. Though the Texans will be big-time underdogs, they just played one of their best games of the season and will feel confident against the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.
Plus, the Texans kept it tight at Arrowhead in Week 16, falling 27-19 even as they were limping to the finish line. Quarterback C.J. Stroud finished 23-of-39 passing for 244 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in that game.
But do the Texans deserve style points for keeping it close with the Chiefs? After all, the Chiefs were 11-0 this season in one-possession games, and they’ve won 16 in a row when it’s close. They haven’t lost a one-possession game since Christmas 2023.
So, yeah, the Texans can look back on the last meeting and wonder what might have happened if a play or two had gone the other way, but the Chiefs have become the best team on the planet — with room to spare — in those decisive moments.
The Texans need to start fast to put pressure on the hosts, as the Chiefs haven’t played a meaningful game since Christmas, when they locked up the AFC’s No. 1 seed. If the Chiefs are going to be vulnerable at any point, it figures to be at the start as they shake off a little rust.
The Chiefs are 15-3 in the playoffs with Patrick Mahomes as their starter. They’re also 8-2 against the Texans under coach Andy Reid, including 2-0 in a pair of playoff games that were decided by a combined 50 points. Meanwhile, the Texans will be looking to pull off another franchise first, as they’re 0-5 in the divisional round.
