Kansas City beats Texans to advance to 7th straight AFC championship game

Patrick Mahomes put on a show as he led the Kansas City Chiefs to a 23-14 victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday, securing a spot in the AFC championship game for the seventh consecutive season. Mahomes threw for 177 yards and a touchdown, with most of his passes going to his best buddy Travis Kelce.

With his girlfriend Taylor Swift and WNBA star Caitlin Clark watching from a suite, Kelce had a standout performance, racking up seven catches for 117 yards and a score. The win keeps Kansas City’s dream of winning a third consecutive Super Bowl title alive.

Kansas City is now the fourth team in NFL history to advance to the conference title game after winning back-to-back Super Bowls. However, the previous three teams that achieved this feat ended up losing. The Chiefs will face either the Bills or the Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium next weekend in their quest to defend their title.

Mahomes’ playoff record improved to 16-3, tying him with Joe Montana for the second-most wins in NFL history, behind Tom Brady. He remains undefeated in the divisional round, boasting a perfect 7-0 record. Additionally, Mahomes helped Andy Reid become the fourth NFL coach to reach 300 career wins.

On the other side, the Texans were unable to secure their first win in six divisional games. Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 245 yards but was sacked eight times by the Chiefs defense. Running back Joe Mixon, who was questionable to play due to an ankle injury, managed to contribute with 88 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Despite their efforts, the Texans struggled on special teams throughout the game. Kicker Kai’imí Fairbairn missed a 55-yard field goal attempt, an extra point, and had another field goal blocked late in the game, thwarting Houston’s comeback hopes.

Both teams had their moments, with the Texans managing to keep the game close at halftime. However, a missed extra point by Fairbairn proved costly as the Chiefs capitalized on the opportunity to extend their lead in the second half.

Kansas City’s offense, led by Mahomes and Kelce, responded with a crucial scoring drive to put the game out of reach for the Texans. Despite a couple of late opportunities, Houston was unable to mount a comeback, ultimately falling short against the defending champions.

Injuries

Houston: LB Azeez Al-Shaair suffered a knee injury in the first half.

Kansas City: SS Bryan Cook was evaluated for a concussion but later returned to the game. FS Justin Reid also took a hard hit to the head but continued playing.

Up next

Kansas City will host the AFC title game next Sunday, facing either the Bills or the Ravens. The Chiefs will look to continue their playoff success and secure a spot in the Super Bowl as they aim for a historic third consecutive championship.