Texans vs. Chiefs
Sunday, 3:05 p.m. ET, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
TV: CBS
Danny Sheridan’s line: Chiefs by 91⁄2
Texans’ keys to victory: Get WRs DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller going. In the Week 6 meeting between the Chiefs and Texans, Hopkins and Fuller combined for 14 receptions and 99 yards with no touchdowns. These are supposed to be the top weapons for QB Deshaun Watson and they need to do better than that if they’re to beat a much improved Kansas City defense.
Chiefs’ keys to victory: Don’t turn the football over. Two turnovers from Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in Week 6 led to a 14-point swing in the game. Mahomes has been mostly great at taking care of the football with five interceptions and two fumbles lost throughout 2019.
Matchup to watch: Texans QB Deshaun Watson vs. Chiefs S Tyrann Mathieu. Watson is one of the AFC quarterbacks behind an exciting youth movement in the NFL. He’s a big play waiting to happen and a true competitor. Mathieu doesn’t shy away from competition. He’s become much more comfortable in the Chiefs’ scheme since the Week 6 matchup (a Texans win) and has been one of the most dominant defenders in the NFL during the second half of the season. These two will be going at it throughout the game.
Who wins? Beating the same team twice in a season is a tough task and the Chiefs have improved in areas that the Texans were previously able to exploit. Expect a close and hard-fought game with Kansas City advancing to the AFC Championship Game for the second consecutive season.
Chiefs, 35-30