Ranking the Kansas City Chiefs potential playoff matchups in Divisional Round
By Grant Tuttle
2. The Houston Texans
The scenario for the Texans to come to Kansas City:
In order for the Chiefs to get another crack at the Houston Texans, Houston must win against the Buffalo Bills and the Patriots must lose to the high-flying Titans.
The matchup:
The Texans offer a unique matchup for the Chiefs. Deshaun Watson and the Texans have had a strange season. At times, they seem like one of the best teams in football; yet at other points, they don’t look like a playoff team. That being said, the combination of Will Fuller and DeAndre Hopkins is a difficult one for the Chiefs to cover. The Texans, more than any other team that the Chiefs could face in the Divisional round are dangerous offensively.
Other than Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson is the most mobile quarterback in the NFL. Until the rise of Jackson, Watson was revered as the quintessential headache for defensive coordinators. Watson is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in football partially because he is debilitated by a poor offensive line and an inconsistent head coach.
Honestly, if you like games that go down to the wire, this may be your pick. Watson vs. Mahomes vs. Jackson will be an AFC competition for years to come. The Texans defeated the Chiefs earlier this season and Kansas City would be hungry for a victory. Again, you never know what version of the Texans you will see from week to week. At each team’s best, the Chiefs are the better overall football team. Between the Patriots and the Texans, the storylines were just better for a New England matchup. As far as competition and exciting football, that may swing in the Texans favor.
The likelihood that Houston comes to Kansas City: Moderate
Houston beating the Bills is certainly possible, and by all accounts, somewhat likely. However, in order to play Kansas City, the Patriots would have to drop a game to the Tennessee Titans as well. The Texans will have their work cut out for them and they will likely enjoy the Wild Card Round more than the Divisional with the prospects of playing the Chiefs or Ravens.