NFL Divisional Round Preview - Texans @ Chiefs
The NFL Divisional Round kicks off with this intriguing clash between the AFC’s one-seed Kansas City Chiefs, and the four-seed Houston Texans. KC’s bid for the three-peat officially gets underway here, with the team having benefited from three weeks of rest for their primary starters. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans enter this game battered and bruised, but also emboldened after such a spirited display in the Wild-Card Round, particularly on defense. Can they offer up the shock of the season and remove the reigning Super Bowl Champs?
Find everything you need to know about how to watch the NFL playoffs on our NFL page here, including broadcast information and match times.
(4) Houston Texans @ (1) Kansas City Chiefs
- When: Saturday, 18th January, 2025. 4:30pm ET
- Where: Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, Missouri
- TV: ESPN, ABC, ESPN+
Texans @ Chiefs Divisional Round Preview
The Houston Texans entered WIld-Card weekend as home underdogs against the LA Chargers, surprising everyone with a 32-13 victory. It wasn’t exactly as comfortable as the score suggests, with the first half featuring some pretty ugly offensive play, but the game certainly served as a reminder that this team can be a handful on their day. C.J. Stroud struggled early but did enough in the end to deliver the win, primarily thanks to his brilliant partnership with Nico Collins, who had 7 catches for 122 yards and a score. Collins is the key cog in this Texans offense, but he will have his hands full going up against star cornerback Trent McDuffie of the Chiefs. When these two teams met a month ago, Collins was held to 60 yards on 7 catches, and a similar output this weekend would surely mean a KC victory.
The other key to the Houston offense is Joe Mixon, who barrelled his way to 106 yards and a touchdown against LA. He is also in line for a tough day, going up against a Chiefs d-line that has held opponents to 101.8 rushing yards per game, the 8th fewest in the NFL.
For Kansas City, the three weeks of rest will have undoubtedly helped the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Chris Jones. Jones in particular will be very excited to go up against a Texans offensive line that has struggled all year long, tying for the third most sacks conceded with 54.
Mahomes and Kelce are facing a much tougher test, going up against a very talented and well-coached Texans defense. Houston picked off Justin Herbert four times last week and held the Chargers to just 13 points. They ranked second in the regular season with 19 interceptions and tied for fourth with 49 sacks. They will be raring to go for this, but Patrick Mahomes and company seem to find another gear when the calendar turns to January. Expect Andy Reid to have a fantastic game plan up his sleeve, now having had plenty of time to figure out how best to use rookie Xavier Worthy, veteran Deandre Hopkins, and, of course, his future Hall of Fame tight end.
How to Watch Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs
The Divisional Round schedule kicks off at Arrowhead at 4:30pm on Saturday the 18th of January, and you can watch the game live on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.
The Live Sports on TV football page can be relied on for up-to-date timings and broadcast information for this match and the rest of the NFL playoffs schedule.
Predictions: Texans @ Chiefs
Houston showed grit and quality last week when demolishing the LA Chargers, but these Chiefs are a different beast. Not only are they talented at every position, but they are battle tested in the playoffs and you know they won’t panic at any moment. They get the win here to set up a simply sensational AFC Championship clash against the Ravens or Bills.
2024-25 NFL Playoffs FAQs
Who is left in the NFL playoffs?
AFC: Kansas City Chiefs (15-2), Buffalo Bills (13-4), Baltimore Ravens (12-5), Houston Texans (10-7),
NFC: Detroit Lions (15-2), Philadelphia Eagles (14-3), Los Angeles Rams (10-7), Washington Commanders (12-5)
What are divisional rounds in the NFL?
For the first time in the 2024 season’s playoffs, we will see the one seed from each conference in action. They will each face the lowest-seeded team to emerge from the Wild-Card Round, with the middle seeds facing each other as well.
What happens if you win the divisional round?
The winners of the Divisional Round clashes will proceed to the NFC and AFC Championship games, where they will be fighting for a spot in the Super Bowl.
What time are the NFC and AFC championship games?
Both Championship games are on Sunday 26th, January, 2025.
- NFC Championship game: 3 pm. ET on Fox
- AFC Championship Game: 6:30 pm ET on CBS and Paramount+
When is the Super Bowl?
Sunday, February 9th, 2025.
Where is the Super Bowl?
Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Who are the reigning Super Bowl champions?
Kansas City Chiefs.
When is Texans @ Chiefs?
Saturday, 18th January, 2025. 4:30pm ET
Who is favored to win in Texans @ Chiefs?
The Kansas City Chiefs (-475) are favored over the Houston Texans (+360).
What TV Channel do I need for Texans @ Chiefs?
ESPN, ABC, ESPN+
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