Chiefs Host Texans In Pivotal Divisional Round Clash At Arrowhead
The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Houston Texans in a pivotal Divisional Round clash at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, January 12th. The two teams finished the regular season with identical 12-4 records, but the Chiefs earned the No. 2 seed in the AFC by virtue of their superior conference record. The Texans, meanwhile, are the No. 4 seed.
Chiefs Favored In Matchup
The Chiefs are favored by 7.5 points in the matchup, according to OddsShark. They have a strong home-field advantage, as they have won 11 of their last 12 games at Arrowhead Stadium. The Texans, on the other hand, are just 3-5 on the road this season.
The Chiefs also have the more experienced quarterback in Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes is in his third season as a starter, and he has already won an MVP award and led the Chiefs to a Super Bowl appearance. Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is a rising star, but he has less experience than Mahomes.
Texans Have Some Advantages
The Texans do have some advantages in the matchup. They have a strong running game led by Carlos Hyde, and they have a talented receiving corps led by DeAndre Hopkins. The Chiefs’ defense has been vulnerable to the pass at times this season, so the Texans could exploit that weakness.
The Texans also have a good pass rush, which could put pressure on Mahomes. The Chiefs’ offensive line has been shaky at times this season, so they will need to protect Mahomes if they want to win.
Matchup Is Too Close To Call
Overall, the Chiefs are the more talented team and they have the home-field advantage. However, the Texans have some advantages that could help them pull off an upset. This is a matchup that could go either way, and it should be a lot of fun to watch.
Key Players To Watch
Here are some of the key players to watch in the Chiefs-Texans matchup:
- Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
- Deshaun Watson, QB, Texans
- Carlos Hyde, RB, Texans
- DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans
- Tyreek Hill, WR, Chiefs
- Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs
- Chris Jones, DL, Chiefs
- J.J. Watt, DL, Texans
Prediction
I predict that the Chiefs will win the game, but it will be a close one. The Chiefs have the more talented team, but the Texans have some advantages that could help them pull off an upset. I think the Chiefs will win by a score of 27-24.