This is why football fans are perplexed by the Kansas City Chiefs, and frustrated with them continuing to win.
Kansas City didn’t play its best game in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. Not even close. And that’s not new. There were many games this season, and last season too, when the Chiefs weren’t great and still won. Dynasties annoy fans in general, even more when those teams are not dominant.
The Chiefs found a way to win in Saturday’s divisional-round game against the Houston Texans, as they almost always do. Despite the Texans having more than twice as many yards as them late in the third quarter, the Chiefs still led. Then there was a questionable unnecessary roughness call on a hit to Patrick Mahomes, one of a few calls that had non-Chiefs fans screaming on social media, that led to a Travis Kelce touchdown and an eight-point lead. Everyone knew how it would play out after that.
The Chiefs won 23-14 and are going to the AFC championship game for the seventh straight season. They’ll host the winner of Sunday night’s Baltimore Ravens-Buffalo Bills clash.
The Chiefs keep winning close games because they do many things very well. Mahomes is already an all-time great quarterback. Andy Reid is a fantastic coach who added win No. 300 to his résumé, joining legends George Halas, Bill Belichick and Don Shula in the 300-victory club. The defense has been very good each of the past two seasons and was again Saturday.
But that won’t stop fans of the other 31 teams from complaining about how Kansas City keeps winning even when it seems it's constantly on the ropes.
Texans have a bad start
The Texans needed to play their best to beat the Chiefs. On the first play, they gave up a 63-yard kickoff return, cornerback Kris Boyd took a 15-yard penalty for throwing his helmet after the play and he shoved special teams coordinator Frank Ross when he got to the sideline. Not exactly the perfect start Houston needed.
The Chiefs only got a field goal out of that big return. Kansas City didn’t get off to a great start offensively, but the Texans didn’t take advantage of it. The Chiefs' defense had a very good first half, buying time for the big play from the Chiefs' offense that would inevitably come.
And it did. Travis Kelce got open in the middle of the field and Mahomes found him. He rumbled 49 yards to the Houston 6-yard line. A few plays later, Kareem Hunt scored to give the Chiefs a 13-3 lead. It was the first time all season Kelce had a play with more than 20 yards after the catch, according to Next Gen Stats. Last season, Kelce came alive in the playoffs, and he started this postseason with seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.
It was a fairly typical Chiefs game this season. They hadn’t played particularly well on offense. They had just 123 yards at halftime, and 49 of it came on Kelce’s catch-and-run. But they also didn’t make any critical mistakes, and their defense played well. And despite some lethargic offense, Kansas City led 13-6 at the half.
Chiefs extend their lead
The Texans had an impressive drive to start the second half. They had to gain 101 yards on offense to offset 19 yards of penalties on the drive. It lasted 15 plays and 10:24 on the clock and ended with a Joe Mixon touchdown. That gave the Texans some momentum, which was quickly wiped away when Ka'imi Fairbairn missed the extra point wide right. Still, Houston trailed 13-12 and seemed very much in the game. But the Chiefs are hard to beat.
At that point Houston was outgaining Kansas City 275-123. The Texans had outplayed the Chiefs but were still trailing. It feels hopeless to those rooting against the Chiefs when they don’t play well and they move on in the playoffs.
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes celebrates during a win over the Houston Texans on Saturdat in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
Kansas City started to put it away after that. There was the questionable call on a hit against Mahomes, and the Kelce touchdown. The Texans made a mistake on fourth-and-10, being indecisive before going for it and then rushing a play that led to a sack. A bad punt led to good field position and a Chiefs drive that ended in a field goal and an 11-point lead.
The Texans had a shot at a field goal inside the two-minute warning to cut Kansas City’s lead to eight points, after the Chiefs’ eighth sack of the game, but it was blocked and that sealed the win.
The Chiefs are two wins from making history. No team has ever won three straight Super Bowls. Kansas City went 15-2 this season, including one loss in which they rested all their key players, and have a spot in the NFL’s final four again. At some point it doesn’t matter how it looks or if they’re playing their best. In all but a few rare cases in the Mahomes era, they’ve always been good enough to win the biggest games.
Fans who don’t root for the Chiefs might not like it, but they get to spend another conference championship weekend watching Mahomes try to make it back to another Super Bowl.
Kansas City is on to the AFC championship game after a 23–14 victory over the Texans. It's the seventh straight AFC title game for the Chiefs.
Ian Casselberry
Chiefs take a safety
Houston gets two points on fourth down with Chiefs punter Matt Araiza running out of the end zone for a safety on fourth-and-15.
But only nine seconds remain after a 4-yard rush by Kareem Hunt and two kneeldowns by Patrick Mahomes.
Ian Casselberry
Texans' field goal blocked
Down by 11, Houston opts to kick a field goal on fourth-and-14. But Ka'imi Fairbairn's 34-yard kick is blocked by Justin Reid. What a way to show everyone that he's back in the game and not injured.
Impeccable timing to block the kick 👏 @JustinqReid
C.J. Stroud completes an 18-yard pass to Nico Collins, then follows up with an 8-yard throw to Xavier Hutchinson to move Houston to the Kansas City 5-yard line.
However, Felix Anudike-Uzomah breaks through for a sack and 8-yard loss on second-and-2. We're at the 2-minute warning.
Ian Casselberry
Stroud to Schultz for 18 yards
Dalton Schultz made an 18-yard catch on third-andby the left sideline. The play was ruled a catch on the field and was upheld after replay review.
Did Schultz gain control of this catch before going out of bounds? Chiefs have challenged the call. pic.twitter.com/C3ULfV6ZBn
Kareem Hunt gains 23 yards on two carries to get the Chiefs inside the red zone. Kansas City has a first down at the Houston 18-yard line.
Ian Casselberry
Chiefs get good field position
Kansas City gets strong field position after forcing Houston to punt deep in its own territory. After a 34-yard punt by Tommy Townsend, the Chiefs take over at the Texans' 45-yard line with 7:35 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Ian Casselberry
Justin Reid appears to be OK
Justin Reid appears to be all right after a sideline collision on third down. Trainers came out to check on him and teammates surrounded him on the field.
The Chiefs come up with a defensive stop, forcing Houston into a 3-and-out. Joe Mixon gained 4 yards on first down, but C.J. Stroud threw incomplete passes on the next two plays.
Justin Reid appears to be hurt after making a play on Nico Collins to force an incompletion on third-and-6 from the Texans' 11-yard line.
Ian Casselberry
Chiefs go 3-and-out
The Texans' defense gets a much-needed stop, forcing the Chiefs into a 3-and-out after gaining only one yard.
Matt Araiza kicks a 36-yard punt to pin Houston back at its 7-yard line with 8:32 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Ian Casselberry
Texans fail to convert on fourth down
Nick Bolton forces C.J. Stroud to get rid of the ball early on a deep throw to Jared Wayne. But he can't make the catch. Wayne was wide open, but the throw was behind him.
That was followed by an incomplete pass to Dameon Pierce on third-and-10. The Texans opt to go for it on fourth down, but Stroud is sacked by George Karlaftis.
George Karlaftis takes down Stroud for a turnover on downs!
Kansas City takes over on downs at its 44-yard-line.
Ian Casselberry
Patrick Mahomes' flop
Patrick Mahomes attempted to draw another unnecessary roughness penalty on the Chiefs' last drive, putting a little extra mustard on a shove by Henry To'oTo'o as he ran out of bounds.
Considering how the officials have called hits on him, it's probably difficult to fault Mahomes for trying to draw another flag. But he didn't get it this time.
Ian Casselberry
Touchdown: Chiefs 20, Texans 12
Travis Kelce grabbed an 18-yard reception to get Kansas City into the red zone.
Travis Kelce has his 9th career 100-yard game in the postseason, the most in NFL history 👏
Three plays later (after Mahomes attempted to draw a penalty by falling down on the sideline), Mahomes and Kelce connect again for an 11-yard gain and a touchdown.
Patrick Mahomes' pass to Noah Gray on third-and-4 goes for 3 yards, just short of the first down. On fourth-and-1 from the Houston 37-yard line, the Chiefs opt to go for it and Kareem Hunt gains 3 yards.
However, Ka'imi Fairbairn misses the extra point kick and the Texans still trail by one.
Ian Casselberry
Xavier Hutchinson making catches
C.J. Stroud has completed passes of 14 and 13 yards to Xavier Hutchinson on this drive. The second of those receptions moves Houston to the Chiefs' 28-yard line. But the ball was spotted short of the first down.
Ian Casselberry
Texans feeding Joe Mixon
Joe Mixon gets a first down with an 8-yard gain on third-and-3 for the Texans and follows that up with a 7-yard rush.
On Houston's previous two plays, Mixon rushed for one yard then caught a pass for a 6-yard gain.
#Texans tried to have four straight plays to Joe Mixon set up a deep play-action shot but nothing open.
C.J. Stroud scrambles 12 yards on third-and-13, but a holding penalty on Shaq Mason negates any possibility that Houston might go for it on fourth down.
Following a 9-yard rush by Dare Ogunbowale, the Texans have to settle for a field goal on fourth-and-14.
Ka'imi Fairbairn kicks a 48-yarder to make it a 13–6 game, but Houston has to be lamenting not getting a touchdown on that drive.
Ian Casselberry
Chiefs sack C.J. Stroud
A sack by the Chiefs likely killed the Texans' chance for a touchdown before halftime. Tershawn Wharton and Mike Danna combine to bring down C.J. Stroud for an 8-yard loss, pushing Houston back to the Kansas City 28-yard line.
Ian Casselberry
C.J. Stroud to John Metchie III for 24 yards
Houston is driving toward a score before halftime. On second-and-8 from the Chiefs' 49-yard line, C.J. Stroud connects with John Metchie III for a 24-yard gain.
Patrick Mahomes quickly shook off his pass to Hollywood Brown being called incomplete. On the next play, he hits Travis Kelce for a 49-yard catch and run.
The Chiefs got right to work before anything can be reviewed with Patrick Mahomes throwing deep, but incomplete to Hollywood Brown.
Ian Casselberry
C.J. Stroud sacked by Charles Omenihu
Houston's drive stalls at the Chiefs' 37 after a sack by Charles Omenihu for a 5-yard loss. C.J. Stroud fumbled, but the ball was recovered by Shaq Mason.
The Texans' pass rush is a problem for the Chiefs early on. Kansas City looked like it had a drive going after a 15-yard scramble by Patrick Mahomes, followed by a 12-yard pass to Xavier Worthy to move into Houston territory.
However, after Kareem Hunt gained 6 yards on a 4-yard reception and 2-yard rush, Will Anderson Jr. sacked Mahomes for an 8-yard loss on third-and-4.
Will Anderson Jr. sacks Mahomes for his second TFL of the day 👏
That forces the Chiefs to punt. Matt Araiza kicks it 51 yards and the Texans take over at their 20 following a touchback.
Ian Casselberry
In case you missed it: Texans' Kris Boyd shoves special teams coach
Texans cornerback Kris Boyd shoved special teams coach Frank Ross on the sideline after he was penalized for removing his helmet on the game's opening play.
Chiefs safety Bryan Cook was checked in the medical tent for a head injury after a hit on Nico Collins. He's been taken back to the locker room to evaluate him for a concussion.
C.J. Stroud had an infrared heat wrap on his left knee while the Chiefs' offense was on the field, according to ESPN's Laura Rutledge.
Ian Casselberry
Field goal: Chiefs 6, Texans 3
The Texans' defense holds in the red zone again with Will Anderson Jr. tackling Xavier Worthy for an 8-yard loss followed by Tommy Togiai sacking Patrick Mahomes for a 2-yard loss.
Kansas City has to settle for a field goal after getting pushed back 10 yards. Harrison Butker kicks a 36-yarder for a 6–3 lead.
Ian Casselberry
Roughing the passer on Will Anderson Jr.
The Texans forced Patrick Mahomes to throw an incomplete pass on third-and-8. But Will Anderson Jr. was called for roughing the passer on an apparent helmet-to-helmet hit.
Refs throw a flag already for helmet to helmet to Mahomes. Roughing the passer for the Chiefs pic.twitter.com/7RYlHeYQh4
C.J. Stroud limped off the field after being tackled by George Karlaftis, perhaps with an ankle injury. He's getting checked out on the sideline, but appears to be all right.
After a 13-yard pass from C.J. Stroud to Nico Collins gave Houston a 1st-and-10 at the Chiefs' 14-yard line, the Texans' drive stalled.
Joe Mixon ran for no gain, followed by an incomplete pass from Stroud and a two-yard scramble.
Ka'imi Fairbairn ties the game with a 30-yard field goal.
Ian Casselberry
Chiefs' Trent McDuffie to the medical tent
Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie was shaken up while tackling Joe Mixon on 2nd-and-5. He came out of the game and went to the blue medical tent to get checked out.
However, McDuffie is now back in the game after missing five plays.
Ian Casselberry
Stroud to Schultz for 34 yards
Houston gets an explosive play on its opening drive with C.J. Stroud hitting Dalton Schultz for a 34-yard pass. That moves the Texans to the Kansas City 35-yard line.
The Texans' defense holds after that big kickoff return by the Chiefs. Isiah Pacheco loses a yard on his first carry, then Patrick Mahomes throws two incomplete passes.
Kansas City has to settle for a field goal and Harrison Butker kicks a 32-yarder for a 3–0 lead.
Ian Casselberry
Eventful opening kickoff
Houston won the coin toss and will defer to the second half. So the Chiefs' offense will take the field first.
Nikko Remigio returned the kickoff 63 yards for Kansas City, but fumbled while being tackled by Kris Boyd. Samaje Perine recovered for the Chiefs.
Big return to open the game. Ball is loose but Chiefs recover.
Boyd was then flagged 15 yards for taking of his helmet, giving the Chiefs the ball at Houston's 13-yard line. He followed that blunder up with a shove of special teams coach Frank Ross. What a start, Houston.
Here’s the altercation on the sideline with Kris Boyd and ST coach Frank Ross pic.twitter.com/tlFBvTMVAd
A big storyline early on will be whether or not Patrick Mahomes is rusty after a long layoff — 23 days, to be exact.
Patrick Mahomes has had 23 days of rest before today's game vs. Texans.
Longest stretch for any non-injured QB before a playoff game prior to this -- Warren Moon's 22 days in 1994, vs. the Chiefs -- a game the Oilers lost 28-20 as 7-pt favorites. pic.twitter.com/K6TE47FMT3
The Chiefs and Texans played during the regular season in Week 16 and Kansas City won, 27–19.
Patrick Mahomes passed for 260 yards and one touchdown, completing 28-of-41 passes. Xavier Worthy caught seven passes for 65 yards and a score. Kareem Hunt had 11 carries for 55 yards and a TD. Mahomes also ran for a TD.
For Houston, C.J. Stroud completed 23-of-39 passes for 244 yards, two TDs and two interceptions. Tank Dell notched six receptions for 98 yards and a TD. Joe Mixon rushed for 57 yards on 14 carries.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce made just enough plays to overcome an otherwise ugly offensive day for Kansas City. That might not work next week against a much tougher opponent.
Three teams are at least six-point underdogs this weekend, which is uncommon for the divisional round. But there's a path to victory for each — as well as the Bills, in Sunday's headliner against the Ravens.
Detroit, which needed to win just two home games to make the first Super Bowl in franchise history, is out. The Commanders are moving onto the NFC title game for the first time since the end of the '91 season.
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