The Kansas City Chiefs used an offensive-centered second half, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, to stave off a potential comeback by the Houston Texans on Saturday and win 27-19. With the victory, Kansas City earned a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Mahomes, who finished 28 of 41 with 260 yards and two touchdowns (one passing and one rushing), opened the second half with an 8-yard touchdown to Xavier Worthy to give Kansas City a 24-16 lead.
A pass Worthy of six. 💪 #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/G5GHd0uPNL
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 21, 2024
Before Mahomes’ lone TD pass to give the Chiefs their largest lead of the game, Texans wide receiver Tank Dell went down with a severe left knee injury after catching a TD pass from Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Medical personnel stretchered Dell off the field, and he was taken to a hospital by ambulance. Before being carted off, Dell had six receptions for a team-high 98 yards.
Although the Chiefs led by one score at halftime, the two teams exchanged leads in the first half. The Chiefs took a 7-0 advantage after capitalizing on a Stroud interception. A field goal and a touchdown on back-to-back drives gave Houston a 10-7 lead in the second quarter. Stroud then threw his second interception of the half late in the second quarter, leading to a Harrison Butker field goal to give Kansas City a 17-10 lead at the break.
Stroud finished 23 of 39 for 244 yards and two touchdowns.
Mahomes’ excellent play despite ankle injury
Much of this week for the Chiefs was about the concern of Mahomes’ right ankle. Playing through a high ankle sprain, Mahomes, as he has done throughout his eight-year career, was excellent in leading the Chiefs to another one-score win. It marked the franchise’s 16 consecutive victory in a game decided by one score, the longest streak in NFL history. Mahomes didn’t make a major mistake — unlike Stroud, who finished with two interceptions — and used all of his skill-position teammates to lead the Chiefs to another victory.
“That’s a good defense and I thought our offensive line did a great job accepting the challenge,” Mahomes said in his on-field TV interview. “To go out there and find a way to get a win, it’s a good moment for us.”
Mahomes completed a pass to eight different teammates. Perhaps the most impressive part of Mahomes’ performance was how he started the game, electing to scramble twice on the Chiefs’ opening drive to prove a point to the Texans, who used man-to-man coverage, that his mobility was not going to be as limited as many analysts thought. Mahomes ended that drive with a 15-yard touchdown run, as he ran through two defenders near the goal line. — Nate Taylor, Chiefs beat writer
Lucky #15! Patrick Mahomes runs it in 15 yards for the first TD of the day. 🏈
(🎥 NFL)
pic.twitter.com/jmlLd8djYg— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 21, 2024
Texans add to injury-ridden season
Even within a difficult stretch for the Texans, the biggest issue for them leaving Arrowhead Stadium is the amount of injuries they sustained. The major loss for Houston was receiver Dell, who left the game early in the third quarter. The play, which occurred at the 11:40 mark, happened when quarterback Stroud threw a 30-yard touchdown strike to Dell, who dove for the ball in the back of the end zone.
But receiver Jared Wayne was also in the vicinity of the play and attempted to make a diving catch before colliding with Dell’s knee. Dell was carted off the field after being tended to during an almost 10-minute delay.
Once he realized his teammate was hurt, Stroud had tears in his eyes, a realization that his scramble before attempting an across-the-field pass was likely what put Dell in danger, despite the positive result of the play.
Many of the Texans had to console Stroud, who remained emotional while being nearby Dell. Wayne, a first-year player, was also crying while watching Dell being carted away. Stroud put a towel over his head when he made it to Houston’s bench. Last season, Dell suffered a season-ending broken fibula in his left leg.
Two other starters didn’t finish the game because of an injury. Right guard Shaq Mason left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and safety Jimmie Ward sustained a foot injury that forced him to be carted off the field just before halftime.
Even though the Texans have already clinched a playoff spot, how much of the team that coach Demeco Ryans began the season with will be on the field for their wild-card matchup? — Taylor
Required reading
(Photo: David Eulitt / Getty Images)
