Once the NFL playoffs begin, the Kansas City Chiefs always find a way to win, and once again, that was the case Saturday during their 23-14 divisional round victory over the Houston Texans.
The Chiefs did not force a single turnover and were outgained by 124 yards (336-212), but they still managed to come out with the victory. The victory made them the FIRST team in NFL postseason history to win a game in which they were outscored by at least 100 yards without forcing a turnover, according to ESPN Stats and Info. Heading into the weekend , NFL teams were 0-49 in that situation in the playoffs, but thanks to Kansas City’s win, that now jumps to 1-49.
Although the Texans were able to put up yards on offense, they simply couldn’t finish their drives, so they finished with only 14 points despite gaining 336 yards. The Texans had two separate drives in the game where they finished with zero points despite moving the ball more than 40 yards. In the first half, they had a 43-yard drive that ended with a missed field goal by Ka’imi Fairbairn. In the second half, they had a 53-yard drive that ended with the Chiefs blocking a Fairbairn field goal attempt.
The Chiefs’ defense also limited Houston to just one touchdown in three trips to the red zone, so even though the Texans were moving the ball, they simply couldn’t score. It also didn’t help the Texans that CJ Stroud was sacked seven times.
As for the Chiefs’ offense, the starters hadn’t played together since December 25 and it definitely showed. Patrick Mahomes threw for just 177 yards in a game where the offense totaled 212 yards. Travis Kelce was the lone bright spot of the game for Kansas City, catching seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.
The Chiefs’ offensive numbers also took a hit late in the game when punter Matt Araiza lost 18 yards while deliberately taking a safety on Kansas City’s final offensive play of the game. Of course, even if that play hadn’t happened, the Chiefs still would have been outscored by more than 100 yards.
It’s fitting that the Chiefs made history with this win, because this postseason is about making history for them. The Chiefs are aiming to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls, and now they’ve taken another step toward doing so.
The Chiefs now head to the AFC Championship game for the seventh consecutive season, where they will host either the Baltimore Ravens or Buffalo Bills.