And here we are, the NFL Playoffs. The hottest ticket in sports begins right now with the Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) taking on the Houston Texans (9-7) to open the postseason in the first Wild Card game.
Scroll on down for the live blog. Keep reading for preview information.
First up here’s my pick from The FAQ.
Kansas City at Houston (+3)
The Chiefs (11-5) come into this game on an unprecedented 10-game winning streak. Andy Reid would be the 2016 coach of the year if Ron Rivera hadn’t already put it in the back of his truck. What Kansas City has accomplished is remarkable because these haven’t all been wins against cupcake teams. In this streak the Chiefs have beaten the Broncos, the Steelers, the Bills and the Raiders twice. They also already beat the Texans once this year, in the season opener 27-20. That’s right before they went off the ledge on that five-game losing streak.
The Texans (9-7) earned their spot in the playoffs the hard way. Sitting at 2-5 at the end of October, they looked more like a team vying for a top draft pick, not a playoff spot. So what did they do? They went 7-2 the rest of the way including three straight wins to end the season and secure the AFC South title. Big wins? How about a victory over the Bengals and the Jets back-to-back?
So how’s this one going down? You have to respect what the Texans did to get here, but the Chiefs have been a steamroller since the end of October. There might be an end to their run in sight, but it won’t be in the first round of the playoffs. Chiefs 27, Texans 20
And here are my entries for each team in the final regular season Power Rankings.
6. Kansas City Chiefs – (11-5) The Chiefs continue doing something no team has ever done. They opened the season 0-5 and haven’t lost since. Now they get the best playoff draw possible in the Texans. Last week: No. 7
12. Houston Texans – (9-7) The Texans sealed the deal and made the playoffs. If they aren’t the kind of team that’s just “happy to be here,” they better learn to be. Their playoff experience will not last long. Last week: No. 10
And finally her’s our own GMS Preview.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans clash at NRG Stadium with the winner advancing to the AFC Divisional Round. The NFL’s third-leading receiver, DeAndre Hopkins (1,521 yards, 11 TDs), will be on display in this contest. It will begin Saturday, Jan 9 at 4:35 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN and ABC.
Houston blew out the Jaguars 30-6 last week. J.J. Watt led the way for the Houston defense in the win, totaling five tackles and three sacks. Kansas City managed to get the win as well, beating the Raiders 23-17. Ron Parker led the Kansas City defense, registering five tackles, one sack, and one interception.
Kansas City is a three-point favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is 40 points.
Heading into Week 18 of league action, the Texans are 9-7 for both Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS). In the past five games, Houston is 3-2 for both SU and ATS. The Texans are averaging 131.2 rushing yards over their last five games, higher than their season average of 108.2. Turning to the Texans defense, a few key spots could be deciding factors this week. The Chiefs may have a difficult time throwing the ball against the Texans’ third-best pass defense which has allowed 210.4 passing yards per game this season. A vital part of the game will be if the Chiefs can protect their quarterback from Houston’s vicious defense. It averages the fifth-most sacks in the league with 2.8 per game. Look for Houston to run an up-tempo, fast-paced offense. They rank first in the league with an average of 70.4 plays per game.
As for their opponent, the Chiefs have 11-5 SU and 8-8 ATS records this season. In the previous five games, Kansas City has a record of 5-0 SU and 2-3 ATS. The Chiefs are generally effective at running the ball, owning the third-best yards per carry average in the league at 4.7. Switching gears to the Kansas City defense, there are certain areas where it measures up well against the Texans. The Chiefs are the best in the league at stopping their opponents’ passing game, allowing a completion rate of 57.5%. Pass protection will be essential for the Texans against the tenacious Chiefs defense, ranking fourth in the league in sacks with 2.9 per game. The Chiefs don’t waste time early in the game, averaging 5.9 points in the first quarter this year. Special teams help provide a spark for Kansas City. They average the second-most return yards in the NFL with 101.4.
Predictions: SU Winner – KC, ATS Winner – KC, O/U – Under
The game is on ABC and ESPN at 4:15 p.m. You’re watching it, so watch it with me.
