The Kansas City Chiefs finished the 2015 regular season with a record of 11-5, and a second place finish to the Denver Broncos in the AFC West.
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“It could be”, Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith said. I don’t think we need to add any more to it. It’s already big enough. He had his first pick-six the following week against Peyton Manning. Smith’s 20 TDs passes are the second most in his 10-year career, and he went nine straight games without throwing an interception. Maclin has been especially effective on quick-hitting routes and he is risky after the catch, but it should be noted that Maclin injured his hip in Week 17. He got a big day from his running back, Alfred Blue, who had 21 carries for 102 yards. Over that same span, Houston ranks first in every major defensive category while Kansas City ranks just behind in points per game and third-down defense. J Watt (who led the league in sacks), figured it out though after a blow out loss to the Miami Dolphins. But the Texans also have the best player on the field in Watt and are playing at home. The Houston defense is averaging 3.2 sacks over its last five games. These teams met in Week 1, but little can be taken from that matchup at this point. The Texans lone threat on offense is wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who broke out with 1,521 receiving yards, third in the league.
Kansas City’s involvement in the playoffs is a minor miracle as it wasn’t too long ago that Reid was on the hot seat. While the Chiefs are favored on the road, the Texans have won three straight to unseat Indianapolis as the AFC South champion.
Saturday’s total is set at 40 points.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans clash at NRG Stadium with the victor advancing to the AFC Divisional Round. They don’t get caught up in a lot of things; they just go out and play.
Whereas Hoyer has the benefit of entering January with low expectations, Alex Smith is still trying to shake the “game manager” pejorative and live up to his franchise quarterback contract. Smith distributes to the open receiver within the design of the play, but dinking and dunking against the Texans’ defense is very hard to pull off. The Chiefs haven’t won a playoff game since Montana was their QB back in the 1993 playoffs, and if Kansas City is to break that seven-game, postseason losing streak, Smith will have to keep playing at the top level he’s shown the league during January play in 2011 and 2013. In that game, the Bengals fell to the Steelers 33-20. In fact, their first win of the year came on the road. Instead, they are one of the six AFC teams fighting for the Super Bowl.
Defensive back Marcus Peters posted eight interceptions, returning two of them for TDs. Spencer Ware rushed for 76 yards and one touchdown in 16 attempts.
In that 2011 postseason, he threw for 495 yards in two games with five TDs and no INTs.
Like Kansas City, the Houston Texans got off to a awful start this season going 2-5 SU and ATS out of the gate.
“It’s been a insane year but we stayed the course”, Hoyer told reporters after the Texans’ game on Sunday.
Kansas City is 9-1 SU when leading at the half this season.
Pittsburgh was one of the best against defending the run though (91.2 yards rushing against, 5th in the NFL), and will look to shut down Jeremy Hill (794 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns) and Giovani Bernard (730 yards, two touchdowns).
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They did get the ball back with 1:34 left, but Carr took one final sack that helped time expire. They were built differently as that was one of the best offenses in Chiefs history but they were similar in grinding out games with player leadership and coaching experience.
