The Kansas City Chiefs are heading to the AFC championship game for a seventh consecutive season after a 23-14 victory over the Houston Texans.
The game wasn’t an easy victory for the Chiefs. Kansas City nearly squandered a 10-point first half lead after Houston closed the first half with a field goal and scored a touchdown after a 10-minute drive to open the third quarter.
However, kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed the extra point amid windy conditions in Kansas City. That allowed the Chiefs to hold onto a one-point lead, one they would not relinquish thanks to Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes was Kansas City’s top offensive playmaker during the game. He completed 16-of-25 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown while adding 14 yards on the ground. He also made one of the plays of the game on the Chiefs’ first drive of the second half. The Chiefs were looking to answer the Texans’ long touchdown drive with one of their own when they faced a third-and-goal from the 11-yard line.
Mahomes looked like he was going to be sacked by Mario Edwards Jr. on the play but just before he went down, he managed to get a pass off to tight end Travis Kelce.
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The ball floated perfectly to the wide-open tight end, allowing Kansas City to extend its lead to eight points.
The Chiefs’ victory marks their eighth consecutive in the postseason. That ties the New England Patriots for the longest winning streak in NFL postseason history.
Kansas City will have a chance to break that record when the play the winner of the Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens game in the AFC championship game.
USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more from the Chiefs-Texans divisional round matchup below. All times are Eastern.
Who will the Chiefs play in the AFC championship game?
The Chiefs are set to play the winner of Sunday’s Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens playoff game in the AFC championship game. The contest will be hosted at Arrowhead Stadium, as Kansas City has home-field advantage in the AFC playoff bracket.
Ka’imi Fairbairn field goal blocked, likely sealing Kansas City win
The Chiefs managed to stop the Texans’ drive in the red-zone after another sack of C.J. Stroud. As a result, Houston settled for a field goal seeking to cut the lead to eight points.
Fairbairn’s field goal attempt was blocked. That will all but seal Houston’s fate, down 11 points with less than two minutes left and just one timeout remaining.
Andy Reid challenges Dalton Schultz catch, call stands
C.J. Stroud found tight end Schultz downfield on a third-and-11 to pick up a key first down and set the Texans up to cut into the Chiefs’ two-score lead. Reid challenged the tight call, as he thought Schultz failed to secure the ball before his foot hit out of bounds.
The ruling on the field stood as called, a move that ESPN’s Russell Yurk believed was the right call.
Chiefs settle for field goal, take 11-point lead
The Chiefs have crossed an important threshold. They are now up two scores against the Texans with just 4:38 left in regulation.
Kansas City got there on a 27-yard field goal from Harrison Butker that was set up by a short drive during which Kareem Hunt got 23 yards on two carries. Xavier Worthy nearly picked up another first down, but the Chiefs went for the field goal instead of attempting to convert a fourth-and-1 deep in Houston territory.
The Texans now need to mount two scoring drives with 4:38, two timeouts and the two-minute warning left in regulation.
Justin Reid injury update
The Chiefs forced their first three-and-out of the day halfway through the fourth quarter. It appeared to come at a cost, as safety Justin Reid collided with cornerback Jaylen Watson while knocking down the pass intended for Nico Collins.
Reid briefly remained down on the field before being tended to by medical personnel. He eventually got up under his own power and headed to the sideline, no worse for wear.
Texans defense forces three-and-out, still one-score game
Houston’s defense once again came up big after being put in an unforgiving position by the rest of the team. They held the Chiefs to just one yards on three plays following Stroud’s sack and turnover on downs, forcing a Matt Araiza punt and ensuring not too much time ran off the clock.
Robert Woods fair caught Araiza’s punt on the 7-yard line. The Texans will now get to work with 8:32 left in the game trailing 20-12.
C.J. Stroud sacked on fourth-and-10 to give ball back to Chiefs
The Texans made a late decision to go for it on fourth-and-10 just over the midfield stripe. They just barely got the snap off before the play clock expired, but that allowed George Karlaftis to get a good jump on the snap and pressure Stroud.
Stroud was unable to get away from the pressure and ultimately was sacked for a loss of 16 yards. The Chiefs will now get the ball back on Houston’s 44-yard line with 9:59 left in the fourth quarter.
Kansas City is leading 20-12 and has sacked Stroud four times during the game.
Patrick Mahomes flops in an effort to draw penalty before TD
Mahomes was forced out of bounds by the Houston defense on second-and-goal but tried to convince the officials he was hit late. He slowed down before making contact with the Texans defender and going flying into the bench.
Clay Martin’s crew did not bite, rightly choosing not to throw a flag on the play.
Patrick Mahomes completes mid-air pass to Travis Kelce for touchdown
Mario Edwards Jr. appeared to have Mahomes wrapped up for a sack. Instead, the Kansas City quarterback was able to release the ball mid-air and got the ball to a wide-open Kelce to put the Chiefs back up by a touchdown.
Harrison Butker made the extra point to make it an 8-point game.
Kareem Hunt picks up fourth-and-1 with spin move carry
The Chiefs opened the fourth quarter by running the ball up the middle on fourth-and-1. The Texans gained decent penetration on the play but Hunt found a way to spin away from defenders and bull ahead to gain the first down.
The Chiefs are now on the outer edge of field goal range, leading 13-12.
Chiefs holding onto 1-point lead entering fourth quarter
The Texans dominated the third quarter, taking control of the time of possession battle and continuing to build on their yardage lead over the Chiefs. Houston has outgained Kansas City 275-161 with C.J. Stroud and Joe Mixon carrying a balanced Texans offense in a tough matchup.
The Chiefs have relied more heavily on Patrick Mahomes to carry their offense. He is leading the team as both a passer and a rusher and has drawn a couple of key 15-yard penalties to keep Kansas City’s offense moving.
Kansas City is facing a key fourth-and-1 coming out of the quarter break. If they convert, the Chiefs will be on the outer edge of field goal range.
Texans once again flagged for questionable unnecessary roughness call
Patrick Mahomes ran for a 9-yard gain on the Chiefs’ first drive of the third quarter before sliding to the ground. As he did so, two Texans defenders appeared to make slight contact with him while hitting harder into one another helmet-to-helmet.
Clay Martin’s crew called that unnecessary roughness against the Texans. ESPN’s rules analyst Russell Yurk was not a fan of the call, saying he didn’t believe it met the threshold for a penalty.
Mahomes slid late and sideways on the play too, but Martin’s flag stood and put the Chiefs near field-goal range.
Taylor Swift sitting with Caitlin Clark at Chiefs vs. Texans game
Many NFL fans knew Swift was in attendance for the Chiefs vs. Texans game. So too is Clark, who grew up a huge Kansas City fan. The Indiana Fever star joined the pop star in her luxury box during Saturday’s game, as shown by the broadcast.
Ka’imi Fairbairn stats
Fairbairn has gone just 2-of-3 on field goals in the Texans’ playoff game and missed his only extra point attempt thus far. That said, he enjoyed a quality season, making 36-of-42 field goals, including 13-of-16 from 50-plus yards, and made 34-of-36 extra points as well.
Joe Mixon scores 13-yard TD to cap off 10:24 Texans scoring drive, PAT misses
The Texans held the ball for more than 10 minutes to start the second half before Mixon scampered in for an easy 13-yard touchdown. Mixon’s run capped off a 15-play drive that saw Houston overcome numerous penalties and convert four third downs to make it a one-point game.
However, Houston’s reliable kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed the extra point. As a result, the Chiefs maintain a 13-12 lead over the Texans late in the third quarter.
Nico Collins makes great catch going to the ground to convert third down
The Texans are moving the ball well to start the second half. They have methodically driven the ball down the field against the Chiefs and kept their drive, which has eaten up more than half of the third quarter, with a great catch by Collins.
Patrick Mahomes 40 time
In case you’re wondering how fast Mahomes is every time he takes off to run, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.80 seconds at the 2017 NFL combine.
Texans stats at halftime vs. Chiefs
Despite scoring just six points, the Texans had a good half against the Chiefs. C.J. Stroud, like Mahomes, has been a threat both through the air and on the ground. He has 134 total yards but will need to take fewer sacks after seeing several drives derailed by big losses in the first half.
It would also behoove the Texans to get the ball into Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz’s hands more. The two combined for just three catches in the first half. One will likely need to break another big play for Houston to beat Kansas City.
Below is a look at the first-half stats for the Texans against the Chiefs:
C.J. Stroud: 6-of-10 passing, 102 yards, 3 carries, 32 yards
Joe Mixon: 11 carries, 46 yards, 1 catch, 6 yards
John Metchie: 2 catches, 35 yards
Dalton Schultz: 1 catch, 34 yards
Nico Collins: 2 catches, 27 yards
Will Anderson: 3 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack
Chiefs stats at halftime vs. Texans
The Chiefs played well in the first half despite being unable to generate much on the ground. Patrick Mahomes leads the team in rushing yards with 14, as Isiah Pacheco continues to struggle to return to form from his leg injury.
The good news is that Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy are proving to be two high-quality weapons for the Chiefs, and that should give Mahomes the ammunition needed to keep winning through the air.
Below is a look at the first-half stats for the Chiefs against the Texans:
Patrick Mahomes: 7-of-13 passing, 114 yards, 2 carries, 14 yards
Kareem Hunt: 2 carries, 5 yards, 1 TD
Travis Kelce: 2 catches, 72 yards
Xavier Worthy: 3 catches, 36 yards, 1 carry, -8 yards
Chris Jones: 2 tackles, 1 sack
Nikko Remigio: 63-yard kick return
Chiefs take 13-6 lead into halftime locker room
Kansas City got off to a slow start after the bye week, as is customary in the NFL, but the Chiefs were ultimately able to snap out of it to take a seven-point lead into the halftime locker room.
The Chiefs’ lead has been bolstered largely by the team’s ability to win the special teams battle. Return man Nikko Remigio set Kansas City up for a field goal on its opening drive after a 63-yard return while Ka’imi Fairbairn went just 2-of-3 on field goals for the Texans. His 55-yard miss set the Chiefs up for the lone touchdown of the first half, which went to Kareem Hunt.
Despite this, the Texans are outgaining the Chiefs 174-123 while C.J. Stroud has gone blow-for-blow with Patrick Mahomes throughout the contest. The Texans will get the ball to start the second half and if they can finally get into the end-zone, they will have a chance to challenge the Chiefs in what has been a tightly contested game thus far.
Texans settle for 48-yard field goal before halftime
Houston was moving the ball well in the two-minute drill after a 24-yard catch by John Metchie but had to settle for a field goal attempt after C.J. Stroud was sacked and the team was flagged for a 10-yard holding penalty.
Fairbairn just snuck the 48-yard attempt inside the right upright after missing from 55 yards away. That cut Kansas City’s lead to 13-6 with 16 seconds left in the half.
Houston gets the ball first to open the second half, so scoring on its final possession of the half was paramount.
Kareem Hunt converts 1-yard TD run to give Chiefs 13-3 lead
After Xavier Worthy nearly got into the end-zone on a tricky play from Andy Reid, the Chiefs handed the ball to Kareem Hunt to finish the job. Hunt plunged in for the easy score to give Kansas City a 10-point lead with 4:36 left in the first half.
Travis Kelce makes longest reception of the year (49 yards)
After Hollywood Brown failed to bring in a deep shot following Fairbairn’s missed field goa, Patrick Mahomes found Kelce wide open over the middle of the field. Kelce rumbled down the field for a gain for 49 yards and set the Chiefs up with a goal-to-go opportunity.
Ka’imi Fairbairn misses 55-yard field goal after C.J. Stroud sack
Fairbairn was one of the best kickers during the NFL regular season, but with a strong wind blowing left to right in Kansas City, he couldn’t make his field goal attempt from 55 yards. It took a wild turn to the right and didn’t land anywhere close to the uprights.
That will give the Chiefs great field position as they look to expand upon their 6-3 lead over the Texans.
C.J. Stroud runs for 28 yards on third-and-10
NFL quarterbacks tend to run more in the postseason. Stroud is showing a willingness to do that, running for 28 yards on third-and-10 to put the Texans in field goal range.
Will Anderson sacks Patrick Mahomes to force Chiefs punt
Anderson continues to be a game-wrecker for the Texans. He got around left tackle Joe Thuney to get quick pressure on Mahomes’ blind-side and bring the quarterback to the ground.
Matt Araiza’s punt was nearly downed inside the 5-yard line, but it rolled into the end-zone for a touchback. Robert Woods helped make that happen by getting a hand on Chiefs gunner Joshua Williams, who was nearly positioned to down the ball.
Chiefs lead Texans 6-3 in touchdown-less first quarter
The Chiefs are holding an early lead over the Texans, but Houston is holding its own in its meeting with the AFC’s No. 1 seed early.
C.J. Stroud is off to a strong start, completing 4-of-7 passes for 67 yards while top playmakers Joe Mixon, Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz have all managed big plays in the first quarter. Houston’s defense is playing even better, however, as it has held the Chiefs to 44 yards despite allowing six points.
Patrick Mahomes is off to a slow start following a 24-day gap between starts. He completed 3-of-8 passes for 48 yards in the first quarter. He should get more into rhythm as the game continues.
Chris Jones sacks C.J. Stroud on third down to force Texans punt
The Texans were on the edge of field goal range and facing a third-and-8 when Jones beat second-round rookie tackle Blake Fisher around the edge to put pressure on Stroud. The All-Pro managed to drag down the second-year quarterback for a loss of 12.
That put the Texans behind the midfield stripe and forced a Tommy Townsend punt. It traveled 48 yards but was returned 10 by Nikko Remigio, netting Houston 38 yards of field position.
C.J. Stroud injury update
Stroud did not miss a snap after limping off the field with a knee injury. He spent a lot of time on the sideline with an ‘infrared heating wrap’ around his banged-up knee while the Texans defense was on the field.
Stroud threw a pass on his first play back on the field. It went in the direction of Xavier Hutchinson and fell incomplete.
Patrick Mahomes stats today
Mahomes is off to a slow start against the Texans. He has completed just 2-of-6 passes for 44 yards to start the day.
Of course, Mahomes’ completions were both for big chunks of yardage of Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy. Even so, it appears the three-time Super Bowl champion is shaking off a bit of rust after having 24 days off between his final action in Week 17 and the Chiefs’ first playoff game.
Texans stop Chiefs in red zone again, Harrison Butker makes 36-yard field goal
Patrick Mahomes made a couple of longer completions to Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy to get the Chiefs to a goal-to-go opportunity, but Kansas City once again stalled out in the red-zone. Will Anderson blew up a Worthy run on first-and-goal and the Chiefs couldn’t recover from that to get near the end-zone.
As a result, Butker came onto the field to attempt another field goal. The veteran was once again good from inside of 40 yards, making the 36-yarder with ease despite the cold conditions in Kansas City.
Will Anderson called for roughing the passer on Patrick Mahomes, negating Texans 3-and-out
The Texans appeared to force a three-and-out against the Chiefs on Kansas City’s second drive of the game. However, Anderson was called for roughing Mahomes after hitting the quarterback as he released the ball.
The officials ruled Anderson had hit Mahomes high as a part of the play. ESPN’s rules analyst Russell Yurk didn’t agree with the flag, making it a controversial call in the early stages of the divisional round game.
Who is the Texans backup QB?
Should C.J. Stroud miss any time after limping off the field, Davis Mills would enter the game.
Mills was a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft and has made 25 career starts. He has 5-19-1 career record while completing 62.6% of his passes for 6,167 yards, 35 touchdowns and 25 interceptions.
The Texans do not have a third quarterback on the active roster, so they would be down to Mills and an emergency option if Stroud couldn’t go.
Texans tie game up with Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 30-yard field goal
The Texans moved the ball well down the field as they attempted to answer the Chiefs’ opening score. They accomplished that goal, as Fairbairn made a 30-yard field goal to tie the game.
C.J. Stroud performed well on the opening drive, completing 3-of-4 passes for 53 yards, including a 34-yard completion to Dalton Schultz. However, Stroud limped off the field after scrambling for a few yards at the end of the drive, so his status will need to be monitored moving forward.
Who is Kris Boyd?
Boyd is a veteran cornerback who is in his sixth NFL season. He was a seventh-round pick out of Texas by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2019 NFL draft and has also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals during his NFL career.
Boyd has been with the Texans since 2023 and has played on Houston’s special teams units in 2024. He was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the opening kickoff against the Chiefs and shoved special teams coordinator Frank Ross while coming off the field.
Texans hold Chiefs to field-goal attempt, Harrison Butker nails 32-yarder
After Houston’s special teams unit put its defense in a bad position, DeMeco Ryans’ unit held serve. The Chiefs lost a yard on three plays before settling for a Butker field goal attempt.
Butker made the chip-shot to take a 3-0 lead just a minute into the AFC divisional round matchup. Still, holding the Chiefs to three has to feel like a win for the Texans after Remigio’s big return.
Nikko Remigio returns kickoff 63 yards, fumbles, recovered by Samaje Perine
The Chiefs got off to a great start after receiving the opening kickoff. The team’s return man, Remigio, found a seam in the defense and nearly was able to break it for a touchdown.
However, Kris Boyd managed to tackle Remigio and force a fumble. A scrum ensued for the ball, but savvy veteran running back Perine was able to jump on it.
Boyd was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for throwing his helmet after the play, too. That gave Kansas City an instant red-zone possession.
What time is Chiefs vs. Texans?
Start time: 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. CT)
The Chiefs and Texans are scheduled for kickoff at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
The Texans travel to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for the matchup.
Who did the Texans beat last week?
The Texans beat the Los Angeles Chargers to make it to the NFL’s divisional round. Houston’s defense force Justin Herbert into four interceptions in the contest after he had just three for the entire season in its 32-12 victory.
Houston’s win over the Chargers was just its second of the season over a team with a record of .500 or better.
Did Patrick Mahomes have his baby?
Yes, Mahomes’ wife Brittany gave berth to the couple’s third child – a daughter, Golden Raye – during Kansas City’s playoff bye week. Sterling Mahomes and Patrick Mahomes III (a.k.a. Bronze) are the couple’s other two children.
How many Super Bowls have the Chiefs won?
The Chiefs have won four Super Bowls. They are as follows:
Super Bowl 4
Super Bowl 54
Super Bowl 57
Super Bowl 58
Three of those championships have come with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes as the team’s coach and quarterback. They are gong for an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat in 2025 and will need to win just three more games to accomplish that goal.
Chiefs vs. Texans TV channel
TV channel: ESPN
ESPN is the broadcast home of Chiefs vs. Texans. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be on the call with Tracy Wolfson patrolling the sidelines.
Chiefs vs. Texans weather updates
There isn’t any snow in the forecast for the first divisional playoff game of 2025, but it is going to be cold. Here’s a look at the forecast for Saturday’s Chiefs-Texans game, according to Weather.com.
High temperature: 25 degrees
Low temperature: 8 degrees
Chance of precipitation: 0%
Wind: 10-20 mph
Is Taylor Swift at Chiefs vs. Texans playoff game?
Yes, Swift is in attendance to watch Travis Kelce in action against the Texans. She was spotted coming into Arrowhead Stadium and figures to be in her usual suite as the Chiefs look to tie a record and win an eighth consecutive playoff game.
Is Joe Mixon playing?
Yes, Mixon is set to play for the Texans in their divisional round game against the Chiefs. He failed to practice Thursday because of an ankle injury, but he is active for Saturday’s contest.
Mixon should be expected to handle a lion’s share of Houston’s running back snaps, with Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale spelling him as needed throughout the contest.
Chiefs inactives vs. Texans
The Chiefs didn’t have many surprises on their inactives list for Sunday’s playoff game.
The most notable players not suiting up for their game against the Texans are pass rusher Josh Uche, who they acquired from the Patriots ahead of the trade deadline, and Wanya Morris, who was one of the many options the team tried at left tackle before settling on Joe Thuney as their top option.
Texans inactives vs. Chiefs
Good news for the Texans: Joe Mixon, who was listed as ‘questionable’ for Saturday’s game, is set to play. He will lead the Houston backfield while veteran defenders Jerry Hughes and Devin White represent the most recognizable inactives for the Texans.
Chiefs vs. Texans predictions, picks
Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the Chiefs-Texans matchup will play out:
Lorenzo Reyes: Chiefs 29, Texans 23
Tyler Dragon: Chiefs 28, Texans 24
Jordan Mendoza: Chiefs 27, Texans 23
Chiefs vs. Texans live stream
Live stream: Fubo | ESPN+
For cord cutters looking for a live stream for the matchup, you can turn to Fubo. Fubo carries NBC, as well as CBS, FOX, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action through the remainder of the season.
ESPN+, the proprietary streaming service of ESPN, will also carry the game.
Chiefs vs. Texans odds, moneyline, over/under
The Chiefs are favorites to defeat the Texans, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Not interested in this game? Check out expert picks and best bets for every NFL game this week.
Spread: Chiefs (-8.5)
Moneyline: Chiefs (-500); Texans (+375)
Over/under: 42
NFL playoff bracket
Here’s how the NFL playoff bracket stacks up entering the divisional round:
AFC
No. 4 Houston Texans at No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs
No. 3 Baltimore Ravens at No. 2 Buffalo Bills
NFC
No. 6 Washington Commanders at No. 1 Detroit Lions
No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles vs. No. 4 Los Angeles Rams
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