The Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs is delivering a few rematches from battles we saw during the regular season, including the Houston Texans vs Kansas City Chiefs. The last meeting happened back on Dec. 21, so plenty of the things that unfolded on the field are relevant to this matchup. Here, we’ll dive into the top matchups to watch that will help determine the winner of the Texans vs Chiefs battle.
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Kansas City Chiefs OTs vs Danielle Hunter, Will Anderson Jr
In the Week 16 meeting between the Texans vs Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes did a phenomenal job at evading pressure. According to Pro Football Focus, Mahomes was pressured on 23.91 percent of his 46 dropbacks but Houston netted just 1 QB hits and 0 sacks on the day. Unable to bring Mahomes down, he finished with 293 total yards (33 rushing) with 2 total touchdowns and an 86.9 ESPN QBR.
- Patrick Mahomes stats vs pressure (Week 12-18): 85.5 QB rating, 50.7% completion rate, 3-0 TD-IT, 6.3 ypa, 68.5 PFF grade on 88 dropbacks
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- Patrick Mahomes stats vs clean pocket (Week 12-18): 103.1 QB rating, 70% completion rate, 8-0 TD-INT, 6.5 ypa, 81.6 PFF grade on 179 dropbacks
The Texans don’t have much of a chance at getting penetration through the Chiefs’ interior offensive line consistently, so it all comes down to Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. Hunter led the NFL in ESPN pass-rush win rate (26 percent) while Anderson Jr. finished seventh (22 percent). Against right tackle Jawwan Taylor (37 pressures and 7 sacks allowed) and potentially DJ Humphries (11 pressures and 3 sacks allowed in 2 games), Anderson Jr. and Hunter dominating is Houston’s best shot at a win.
Trent McDuffie vs Nico Collins
Injuries have decimated the Houston Texans’ receiving corps. First, Stefon Diggs went down with a season-ending injury and then months later Tank Dell suffered a gruesome leg injury that might keep him out for the entire 2025 season. That leaves Nico Collins, one of the best NFL wide receivers, as the only viable receiving threat on this Texans’ offense that teams have to fear.
- Nico Collins stats: 28.8% target rate (9th in NFL), 2.92 yards per route run (3rd), 10.2 yards per target *9th), 18 deep targets, 42.7% win rate vs man coverage (4th)
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- Trent McDuffie stats: 60% completion rate, 82.9 QB rating, 6.1 yards per target allowed in coverage on 90 targets in 996 snaps played
It makes for an interesting matchup, especially depending on how Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo uses All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. We’ll certainly see some one-on-one matchups in man coverage, one of the best 1-v-1 battles in this contest. That’s by far the greatest challenge McDuffie faces from this Texans’ receiving corps. If McDuffie is away from Collins, Kansas City will likely deploy deep safety help to support its No. 2 cornerback while McDuffie blankets another side of the field.
Chris Jones vs Houston Texans interior offensive line
After sitting out the final two games with an injury and then enjoying a first-round bye, the expectation is that All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones will rejoin this Kansas City Chiefs defense. It’s an opportunity for one of the best interior pass rushers in the NFL to either be a game-wrecker or so disruptive he creates opportunities for George Karlaftis and Charles Omenihu.
- C.J. Stroud stats vs pressure: 69.2 QB rating (21st), 46.3% completion rate (25th), 6.3 ypa (15th), 5-3 TD-INT, pressured on 38.1% of dropbacks
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- C.J. Stroud stats from clean pocket: 95.4. QB rating, 71% completion rate, 7.5 ypa, 16-10 TD-INT, 86.8 PFF grade
He should get plenty of opportunities against Texans center Jarrett Patterson (15 pressures and 3 sacks allowed in 399 snaps) and right guard Juice Scruggs (25 pressures and 5 sacks allowed in 586 snaps). Houston can and will double-team Jones, but that leaves very little help for right tackle Blake Fisher (37 pressures and 5 sacks allowed), who is one of the worst pass-blocking tackles in the NFL. All of this would spell trouble for C.J. Stroud.
Kansas City Chiefs receivers vs Houston Texans’ secondary
The focus once the ball is snapped starts with Will Anderson Jr and Danielle Hunter versus the Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackles. That’s the first battle Kansas City needs to win, but there’s another intriguing series of duels in this Texans vs Chiefs matchup.
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Derek Stingley Jr (51.2 QB rating and 47.1% completion rate allowed in coverage) and Kamari Lassiter (64.0 QB rating and 43.8% completion rate allowed) have been two of the best NFL cornerbacks this season. They’ll draw matchups against the likes of DeAndre Hopkins, Xavier Worthy and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. This is one of the few position advantages the Texans have in this matchup. However, Kansas City can look to exploit the Texans’ third cornerback and their safeties in coverage.