Chiefs vs. Texans: Kansas City battles Houston’s top defense with key injuries up font

Houston (7-5) at Kansas City (6-6)

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC/Peacock.

BetMGM NFL odds: Chiefs by 3 1/2.

Against the spread: Texans 6-6, Chiefs 5-6-1.

Series record: Chiefs lead 11-5.

Last meeting: Chiefs beat Texans 23-14 on Jan. 18, 2025, in Kansas City in a divisional playoff game.

Last week: Texans beat Colts 20-16; Chiefs lost to Cowboys 31-28.

Texans offense: overall (18), rush (23), pass (16), scoring (21)

Texans defense: overall (1), rush (4), pass (4), scoring (1)

Chiefs offense: overall (5), rush (15), pass (2), scoring (9)

Chiefs defense: overall (9), rush (9), pass (12), scoring (7)

Turnover differential: Texans plus-9; Chiefs plus-2.

Texans player to watch

DEs Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter have been on a tear, combining for 21 1/2 sacks this season. Hunter is tied for fourth in the NFL with 11 of them and Anderson is tied for sixth with 10 1/2. Anderson has had at least one sack in six of his past seven games while Hunter has had at least one in three of his past four.

Chiefs player to watch

Whomever is playing along the offensive line. LT Josh Simmons landed on injured reserve this week following surgery to repair a fractured and dislocated left wrist, while RG Trey Smith is dealing with an ankle injury and RT Jawaan Taylor with a triceps problem. Wanya Morris, Mike Caliendo and Jaylon Moore are expected to fill those spots.

Key matchup

The Chiefs run game against the Houston defense, which is fourth against the run and tops in total defense and scoring. Kansas City is at its best when it has some balance on offense, but things tend to go haywire when it leans too heavily into the passing attack.

Key injuries

Texans: Anderson (chest/shoulder), RB Woody Marks (foot) and CB Kamari Lassiter (foot) missed practice Wednesday, but coach DeMeco Ryans said they should be fine by Sunday. OL Ed Ingram (hand) and DT Tim Settle Jr. (foot) are less certain to play.

Chiefs: LT Josh Simmons has been placed on IR with a wrist injury. RG Trey Smith (ankle), RT Jawaan Taylor (triceps) and CB Chris Roland-Wallace (back) also are likely to miss the game against Houston.

Series notes

The Chiefs have won five straight over the Texans, a streak bookended by divisional playoff victories in January 2020 and this past January. In fact, the Texans have just two wins in the past 11 matchups going back to the 2013 season, which was the first for Andy Reid as the coach in Kansas City. Houston’s most recent win over the Chiefs came on Oct. 13, 2019, at Arrowhead Stadium.

Stats and stuff

Houston is one game behind Indianapolis and Jacksonville in the AFC South. It has won four consecutive games for the first time since a nine-game streak in 2018. … The Texans are trying to become the fifth team since 1990 to start 0-3 and qualify for the playoffs. Houston was the most recent team to accomplish the feat in 2018. … Houston has allowed 20 points or fewer in a league-best 10 games. … Texans WR Nico Collins has scored in four of his past five road games. … Houston WR Jayden Higgins had five catches for a career-best 65 yards last week against the Colts. … Texans QB C.J. Stroud threw for 276 yards last week in his return after missing three games because of a concussion. … Texans RB Nick Chubb had two TD runs in his previous game at Kansas City in 2021 with the Browns. … Houston TE Dalton Schultz had seven catches for 55 yards last week for his fourth straight road game with at least five catches and 50 yards receiving. … Kansas City has won five straight home games, scoring at least 28 points in four of them. … The Chiefs have not started 6-6 since the 2017 season, when they finished 10-6 and earned a wild-card playoff berth. … Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has never missed the postseason in the NFL. … Mahomes needs three TD passes to become the sixth player with at least 25 in eight consecutive seasons. The others are Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Tom Brady and Kirk Cousins. … TE Travis Kelce has a reception in 186 straight games, the longest streak in Chiefs history and longest active streak in the NFL. … Kelce needs 81 yards receiving to join Jerry Rice as the only players with at least 800 yards in 12 consecutive seasons. … DT Chris Jones needs three sacks to pass Neil Smith (85 1/2) for third most in Chiefs history.

Fantasy tip

The Chiefs were once must-start stuff in fantasy football, given their high-flying offense and Mahomes at QB. But with so many players spreading the wealth around, and the fact that they are facing the NFL’s top defense, be wary about putting anyone other than Kelce or WR Rashee Rice into the lineup this week.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl