Texans’ protection stifles Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs to win fifth straight recreation

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In an period the place explosive offense is essential to success, "Sunday Night time Soccer" was a defensive masterclass by each the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs .

Nonetheless, the Texans , the primary protection within the league, showcased why they’re prime of the heap this season in a 20-10 victory on the street.

This recreation had huge playoff implications for each groups, because the Texans are actually 8-5 after successful their fifth straight recreation, whereas the Chiefs fall under .500 at 6-7 with solely 4 video games remaining on the schedule.

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C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans seems to move the ball in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in the course of the third quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025 in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Photographs)

Kansas Metropolis – winners of three straight AFC championships – now sits tenth within the convention and faces only a 16% probability of reaching the postseason.

It didn’t matter how hostile the setting was, or the truth that the Chiefs have been treating this recreation prefer it was the playoffs. Houston’s protection delivered because it has week after week, and it began instantly on this one.

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense ran solely 14 whole performs on their first three drives, all of which ended with punts. Then, Mahomes threw an interception on a move meant for Juju Smith-Schuster, as Jalen Pitre jumped the route, deflected the move and managed to search out it within the air to safe the ball to his chest as he hit the bottom.

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In the meantime, C.J. Stroud and the Texans’ offense, a bunch that struggled within the playoffs at Arrowhead Stadium final yr, did properly within the eyes of stress on their first few drives.

After securing the primary factors of the sport with a area purpose on their second drive, Stroud orchestrated a 90-yard march down the sphere for the sport’s first landing — a nine-yard move to rookie operating again Woody Marks to make it a 10-0 recreation. A key play on that drive was a second-and-7 move after escaping stress, the place Nico Collins acquired open for his quarterback and took his catch 53 yards to arrange the Texans in nice place within the crimson zone.

Because the half ended 10-0, the Texans needed to know that Mahomes and the Chiefs would come out firing within the third quarter. That doesn’t imply they have been totally ready for it.

Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs carries the ball previous Danielle Hunter #55 and Azeez Al-Shaair #0 of the Houston Texans in the course of the third quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025 in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Photographs)

After forcing a three-and-out, Mahomes lastly acquired one thing going, because the Chiefs went eight performs and 56 yards for their very own landing. It was Kareem Hunt breaking a Danielle Hunter sort out behind the road on a fourth-and-1 play on the purpose line. Hunt punched it in and it was a brand new ball recreation.

The Chiefs would tie it with a Harrison Butker 36-yard area purpose, however the rating would keep locked at 10-10 as each groups continued to make unbelievable defensive efforts.

The turning level on this contest, although, got here when the Chiefs determined to get grasping on fourth-and-1 from their very own 31-yard line. Andy Reid has at all times trusted Mahomes to get the job executed, however he wasn’t capable of as his move for Rashee Rice went incomplete.

Houston flipped momentum, and so they made it work of their favor.

Woody Marks of the Houston Texans scores a receiving landing in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in the course of the second quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025 in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. (David Eulitt/Getty Photographs)

Stroud made an incredible play on third-and-3 as Chiefs star defensive lineman Chris Jones, who already sacked him on this recreation, was barreling down in search of one other. Stroud labored to his proper, eluding Jones and fired a strike to Jayden Higgins to increase the drive.

Just a few performs later, Dare Ogunbowale, who not often sees the sphere apart from particular groups, scored from 5 yards out after Marks got here out of the sport after a giant hit.

Now 17-10 in favor of Houston, Mahomes and the Chiefs have been much more determined because the clock continued to tick. However as soon as once more, they weren’t capable of get the job executed on fourth down as Rashee Rice dropped what appeared like a superb ball that might’ve saved the drive alive.

The sport-sealing play was the Texans’ third interception on Mahomes, as he threw a ball behind his trusty tight finish Travis Kelce. Whereas it was a catchable move, Kelce had hassle hauling it in, and it hung up an excessive amount of as linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair snagged it to flip the sphere as soon as once more.

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Marks picked up a vital first down on the next drive and the Texans walked the clock down till Ka'imi Fairbairn buried the ultimate dagger, as his made area purpose drained the final quantity of hope for this recreation on the Chiefs' finish.

Within the field rating, Mahomes had a brutal efficiency with 12-of-30 for 131 yards and his three picks. He was the crew’s main rusher on the bottom, too, with 59 yards on seven carries.

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For the Texans, Stroud was 15-of-31 for 203 yards and one landing with Collins ending 4 for 121 yards on his eight targets. Marks had 65 dashing yards on 24 carries as properly.