Kansas City Chiefs: Don’t overlook Texans in Divisional Round

By Leigh Oleszczak | Jan 12, 2020

Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Bashaud Breeland (21) dives and tries to hold onto the jersey of Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Kansas City Chiefs will play their first game of 2020 on Sunday and it’ll come against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round. Why are fans not giving Houston a chance in this one?

That question has been something I’ve been curious about all week long. From listening to sports talk radio to reading several articles to the cocky Kansas City Chiefs fans on social media, no one is giving the Texans a chance in this game. Why is that?

Sure, the Chiefs are good and now if they win, they’ll have home field in the AFC Championship Game, but both of those apply to the Texans too; They’re also good and can host the title game next week with a win on Sunday.

So, why the lack of respect for the Texans? Is it because of how inconsistent they are as a team? They are a rather inconsistent bunch, but even when being down 16-0 at half time last week in the Wild Card game, they were resurgent and came back in dramatic fashion to beat a Bills team who had one of the best defenses all season long.

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Is the lack of respect because of Houston’s lousy secondary? Even though their secondary is bad, they did notch three sacks a week ago and having J.J. Watt back makes a huge difference for that Texans front. He’s a playmaker.

While I think the Kansas City Chiefs will win on Sunday, the disrespect for the Texans is baffling to me. This team came into Arrowhead earlier in the regular season and won. Yes, I’m well aware that the Chiefs weren’t at full strength in that game, but the Texans still learned a valuable lesson and that’s that they can win in Kansas City. They know that about themselves now.

Another reason I don’t understand why people are counting Houston out is because they have one of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Deshaun Watson, a player who a lot of Chief fans might not admit now, but know damn well they wanted the Chiefs to draft him in 2017. As long as Watson is healthy, the Texans always have a chance to win the ball game.

Also, did fans forget that Carlos Hyde (a guy who was on the team in the preseason) ran for 116 yards in that week six loss? Hyde was out for blood in that one and he’ll be out for blood again, wanting to prove to Kansas City that they made the wrong move by trading him.

Last, but not least, the Texans have weapons through the air, including arguably the best wide receiver in the game in DeAndre Hopkins. If Will Fuller ends up playing, he’s an added element to this game and could deal that Chiefs secondary fits, especially with Juan Thornhill injured and unable to play this postseason.

I understand wanting to be confident and supportive of your team, but the disrespect fans are throwing the Texans’ way this week is crazy to me. The Houston Texans are a good football team and they’re going to give the Kansas City Chiefs everything they have in this one because the winner of this game hosts the AFC Championship Game next Sunday. That’s a lot at stake.

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