The Houston Texans were 1-5 against playoff teams in the regular season, and without wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell, it seemed all hope was lost heading into the postseason. Now, after a surprising 32-12 wild-card rout of the Los Angeles Chargers, the Texans are set for a divisional-round matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, a team against which Houston has some playoff history.
C.J. Stroud’s sophomore season has not exactly been a success, as Houston’s offense ranks in the bottom third of the NFL, yet they compiled 429 yards of offense against the Charger’s 11th-ranked defense in the wild-card round. Joe Mixon ran rampant, and Houston’s defense intercepted Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert four times.
The Chiefs spent the week on the couch, having secured the bye and No. 1 seed in the AFC with their 15-2 record. Houston and the Chiefs are scheduled to play at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in the first matchup of the NFL divisional round, but it won’t be the first time these teams have met in the postseason.
NFL fans might remember when Deshaun Watson met Patrick Mahomes in the divisional round in the 2020 playoffs. That matchup, like Saturday’s, was at Arrowhead, with the Chiefs coming off a bye and Houston coming off a home win. The Texans had just come back to defeat Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in an overtime thriller in the wild-card round.
Watson was at the peak of his powers. Mahomes had arrived as the NFL’s best quarterback. Let’s revisit the divisional duel between the Chiefs and Texans after the 2019 season.
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Revisiting Texans vs. Chiefs 2020 playoff duel
Houston’s hot start
Houston started with the ball and only needed six plays before Watson found wide receiver Kenny Stills for a 54-yard walk-in touchdown to give the Texans a 7-0 lead.
On the next drive, tight end Travis Kelce dropped an easy third-down reception, forcing Kansas City to punt after a three-and-out. Before Houston’s offense could retake the field, however, Dustin Colquitt’s punt was blocked by Barkevious Mingo and returned by Lonnie Johnson Jr. for a touchdown. Houston was up 14-0 only five minutes into the game.
Now this… #Texans block the #Chiefs punt and take it back for a TD. Houston up 14-0 at Arrowhead…
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/gFGVmOmjSA
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 12, 2020
Mahomes and the Kansas City offense returned to the field needing a spark. The Chiefs picked up two big pass completions to Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, but wideout Demarcus Robinson dropped a pass on 3rd-and-5, forcing Kansas City to punt from midfield.
After starting at the 15-yard line, the Texans were able to move the ball near midfield. The Chiefs finally got the stop they needed, sacking Watson on 3rd-and-11, forcing a Houston punt. Kansas City head coach Andy Reid put the speedster Hill back deep to return the punt, hoping for a play to give the Chiefs some life. Instead, Hill muffed the punt, setting up Houston at the Kansas City six-yard line.
It’s not even the second quarter yet ?
Texans 21 Chiefs 0 (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/6QXg2VszTH
— ESPN (@espn) January 12, 2020
In only two plays, Watson found tight end Darren Fells for a four-yard touchdown reception. Houston was up 21-0 and it was still the first quarter.
The Chiefs gained zero yards on the next drive and punted after three plays. The wheels were coming off in Kansas City.
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Chiefs comeback vs. Texans
It looked like Houston was going to go down the field and add another touchdown. After connecting with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for a 13-yard gain on 3rd-and-11, all hope appeared lost for the Chiefs defense. Later in the drive, running back Duke Johnson was stopped one yard short of the sticks, setting up a 4th-and-1 from the Kansas City 13-yard line.
Instead of going for it and keeping the foot on the gas, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien elected for a 31-yard field goal. The attempt was good. Texans 24, Chiefs 0 — 10:54 left in the first half.
For Mahomes and the Chiefs offense, a 24-point deficit was manageable, they just needed a jumpstart.
And jumpstart they received.
Wide receiver and return man Mecole Hardman returned the kickoff all the way to the Houston 45-yard line. It took Mahomes two plays, a 25-yard pass to Kelce and a 17-yard dot to running back Damien Williams, for Kansas City’s first score. Arrowhead was alive and the Chiefs were on the board.
The @Chiefs are on the board!@PatrickMahomes to Damien Williams for the 17-yard TD. #ChiefsKingdom #NFLPlayoffs
?: #HOUvsKC on CBS
?: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/ytW9g3rQZM pic.twitter.com/5qmXoAtX4k— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2020
On the next drive, the Chiefs got the three-and-out they needed. Then, the unthinkable happened: O’Brien ran a fake punt from Houston’s own 31-yard line up 24-7. The direct snap to safety Justin Reid would have worked if not for an excellent open-field tackle from Kansas City safety Daniel Sorensen. What could have kept the Texans’ offense on the field and in a position to add to their lead ended up being a gift for Mahomes and the Chiefs.
The Texans go for the fake punt and the @Chiefs defense makes a huge play! #ChiefsKingdom #NFLPlayoffs
?: #HOUvsKC on CBS
?: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/ytW9g3rQZM pic.twitter.com/SQ4heoPvSO— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2020
A defensive pass interference penalty set up the Chiefs at the five-yard line. Mahomes found Kelce for a five-yard score two plays later. Houston still led 24-14.
On the following kickoff return, Sorensen forced a fumble which was recovered by Kansas City, setting the Chiefs up at the Houston six-yard line. Three plays later, Mahomes found Kelce for another touchdown, and in only four minutes and 23 seconds of game time, the Houston lead had been cut to three.
Mahomes. Kelce. Again.
THREE TDs in THREE minutes.And just like that it’s a three-point game! #NFLPlayoffs #ChiefsKingdom
?: #HOUvsKC on CBS
?: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/ytW9g3rQZM pic.twitter.com/y9g7OTvRjY— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2020
Houston gained 27 yards on a six-play drive before punting and pinning the Chiefs at their own 10-yard line.
And then, Mahomes broke the Texans. Kansas City capped off an eight-play, 90-yard touchdown drive with a third touchdown to Kelce. Mahomes had two completions of 20+ yards on the drive and a 14-yard scramble. Before Houston could blink, Kansas City had come from down 24-0 in the span of a quarter and was now leading 28-24.
Second-half rout
After Houston kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a 51-yard field goal to end the first half, Kansas City started the third quarter with the ball. The Chiefs took the momentum they gained from the second quarter into the second half and did not look back.
Finishing the first half with four straight touchdown drives, Kansas City scored again on a seven-play, 85-yard drive capped off by a Williams one-yard touchdown run. Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker missed the extra point, making the score 34-24.
The pattern continued as Houston was forced to punt on its following drive and Kansas City scored again, making the score 41-24.
The Texans responded with a strong touchdown drive of their own at the end of the third quarter to cut the lead to 10, but Kansas City’s offense was too much to overcome. The Chiefs scored another touchdown on a four-play, 72-yard drive.
The final score was Kansas City 51, Houston 31. The Chiefs’ 41-0 run is unparalleled for a playoff game, and the 24-point comeback is tied for the fifth-largest playoff comeback in NFL history. Kansas City also tied the New England Patriots for a record seven consecutive touchdown drives.
Mahomes finished 23-of-35 for 321 passing yards and five touchdowns, as well as 53 yards rushing. Kelce led the way receiving for Kansas City with 10 receptions, 134 yards, and three touchdowns.
Watson completed 31 of his 52 pass attempts for 388 yards and three total touchdowns. Hopkins, now a Chief, caught nine balls for 118 yards.
The Chiefs went on to defeat the Tennessee Titans in the AFC championship, and Mahomes claimed his first Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 54 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Will history repeat itself this weekend, or will the new-look Texans, led by second-year quarterback Stroud and second-year head coach DeMeco Ryans, pull off yet another upset in this year’s postseason?