Can the Houston Texans finally clear the divisional round hurdle?

Or do the Kansas City Chiefs get another bye week?

Some of the worst moments in Houston Texans playoff history have come at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. On January 9th of 2016, the 2015 edition of the Texans got smoked like a cheap brisket 30-0 by the Chiefs. On January 12, 2020 the 2019 Texans jumped out to a 24-0 lead, only to get slaughtered 51-31.

Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans is currently 0-1 against the Chiefs, while KC head coach Andy Reid is 11-2 vs H-Town.

Essentially, if history is any indicator, this weekend will not be a happy one for Houston.

However, as the Texans proved last weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers, the compass can point south all it wants and Houston can still win in the end.

Houston Texans Divisional Round Stats

TEXANS can advance to 1st Conf. Champ. Game in franchise history.

HC DEMECO RYANS is 5th HC since 2000 to win playoff game in each of 1st 2 seasons.

QB C.J. STROUD became 7th QB all-time with 3,500+ pass yards & 20+ TD passes in each of 1st 2 seasons. Is 6th starting QB in NFL history to win playoff game in each of 1st 2 seasons. Totaled 324 yards (282 pass, 42 rush) in AFC-WC & has 4 TDs vs. INT with 102.2 rating in 3 career playoff starts. Passed for 244 yards & 2 TDs in Week 16 meeting.

RB JOE MIXON was 1 of 4 AFC RBs with 1,000+ rush yards (1,016) & 10+ rush TDs (11) this season, 5th-career season with 1,000+ rush yards. Is only player in NFL with 1,250+ scrimmage yards in each of past 4 seasons. Rushed for 106 yards & TD in AFC-WC & has 701 scrimmage yards (87.6 per game) in 8 career playoff games. Had 71 scrimmage yards (57 rush, 14 rec.) in Week 16 meeting.

WR NICO COLLINS led team with 68 catches, 1,006 rec. yards & 7 rec. TDs in 2024 & selected to 1st-career Pro Bowl, 2nd-straight 1,000-yard season. Had 50+ rec. yards in 10 of his 12 games in 2024, ranking 4th in NFL with 83.8 rec. yards per game. Led team with 7 catches for 122 yards & TD in AFC-WC & has 5+ catches in each of 3 career playoff games, with rec. TD in 2 of 3. Had 7 catches for 60 yards in Week 16 meeting.

TE DALTON SCHULTZ is 1 of 2 TEs (Travis Kelce) with 50+ catches & 500+ rec. yards in each of past 5 seasons. Had TD catch in Week 16 meeting.

DE DANIELLE HUNTER ranked tied-5th in NFL with 12 sacks in 2024, 6th- career season with 10+ sacks. Has sack in each of his 3 career road playoff games. Has 0.5+ sacks in 3 of 4 career games vs. KC.

DE WILL ANDERSON totaled career-high 11 sacks this season. Had 2 PD & 1.5 sacks in AFC-WC & has TFL in each of 3 career playoff games.

DT MARIO EDWARDS had 1.5 sacks in AFC-WC & aims for 3rd in row with sack.

CB DEREK STINGLEY ranked 2nd in NFL with career-high 18 PD in 2024. Had 5 PD & became 4th player since 2000 with 2 INTs & FF in a playoff game last week.

S ERIC MURRAY had 7 tackles & 38-yard INT-TD in AFC-WC, 1st-career TD.

Something seemed to snap in the Texans collective consciousness last Saturday the moment an errant snap went flying past struggling quarterback C.J. Stroud’s grasp.

Maybe it was the wake up call the team needed. Prior to that moment, they were doing their best to prove Rex Ryan right with his pre-game prognostication.

But, in that moment, Stroud and the Texans offense woke up and willed themselves back into form.

What will be interesting is just how the referees affect the outcome of this game.

If anyone thinks the refs don’t alter game outcomes unfairly, look no further than the turn of the century Oakland Raiders. The Tuck Rule was one of the most far-fetched, ridiculous calls in an NFL playoff game in history. And, that single play drove two franchises in opposite directions. It launched the New England Patriots dynasty and further crippled Al Davis’ last attempt to resurrect the Raiders glory of old.

The refs also allowed Baltimore Ravens DT Tony Siragusa to end the Raiders playoff hopes with one of the dirtiest quarterback sacks this century.

Those same zebras have called a preposterous amount of head-scratchers in favor of the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs. Don’t be surprised if the Texans best efforts are undone by suspect officiating. Thankfully, DeMeco Ryans has this team fully embracing resiliency. And they will fight to the end, regardless of the odds against them.

Kansas City Chiefs Divisional Round Stats

CHIEFS can become 2nd team ever to reach 7 straight Conf. Champ Games (NE – 8 straight from 2011-18). Won franchise-record 15 games in reg. season.

• HC ANDY REID ranks 2nd in NFL history with 26 career playoff wins.

• QB PATRICK MAHOMES totaled 3,928 pass yards & 26 TD passes in 2024 & joined HOFer Peyton Manning (8 seasons) as only players ever with 3,500+ pass yards & 25+ TD passes in 7 of 1st 8 seasons. Has 0 INTs in 8 of his past 9, incl. each of his past 6. Is 1 of 6 QBs all-time with 5,000+ pass yards (5,135) & 40+ TD passes (41) in playoff career. Is 10-2 with 35 TDs (31 pass, 4 rush) vs. 3 INTs & 112.6 rating in 12 career home playoff starts. Is 4-1 in 5 career starts vs. Hou, with 16 TDs (14 pass, 2 rush) vs. INT & 115.8 rating, with 90+ rating in each game.

• RB KAREEM HUNT led team with 728 rush yards & 7 rush TDs in 2024, 6th-career season with 5+ rush TDs. Aims for his 3rd in row with rush TD. Has 6 TDs (5 rush, 1 rec.) in 4 career playoff games & can become 3rd player ever with rush TD in each of 1st 5 career playoff games. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Hou. with rush TD.

• RB ISIAH PACHECO has 75+ scrimmage yards in each of his 7 career playoff games & has rush TD in 4 of past 5.

• TE TRAVIS KELCE ranked 3rd among TEs with 97 catches in 2024, becoming 1st player ever with 90+ catches in 7 straight seasons. Ranks 1st in NFL postseason history with 165 catches & 2nd with 1,903 rec. yards & 19 rec. TDs. Has 70+ rec. yards in each of past 13 playoff games, longest streak ever. Has 5+ catches in 8 of 9 career games vs. Hou., incl. 5 in Week 16 meeting.

• WR XAVIER WORTHY ranked 6th among rookies with 6 rec. TDs & has rec. TD in 2 of past 3.

• WR MARQUISE BROWN has 85+ rec. yards in each of 3 career playoff games.

• DT CHRIS JONES is 1 of 4 in NFL with 5+ sacks in each of past 8 seasons.

• DE GEORGE KARLAFTIS led team with 8 sacks this season. Has 0.5+ sacks in 3 of his past 4 in playoffs, with FR in each of his past 2.

• LB NICK BOLTON led team with 106 tackles in 2024. Has TFL in 6 of his past 7 at home. Had TFL & FF in Week 16 meeting.

• CB TRENT MCDUFFIE has PD in each of his past 4 & INT in 2 of past 3. Has 10 PD in career playoff games, with 2+ PD in 3 of past 4. Had 2 TFL & INT in Week 16 meeting.

If the Texans can beat the referees this Saturday, they can beat the Chiefs. If they can beat the Chiefs, they can ascend to their first ever AFC Conference Championship game. They’ve already beaten the Buffalo Bills, so let’s hope the Bills take out the Baltimore Ravens so we don’t have a Tony Siragusa sack on C.J. Stroud…