Official Texans vs. Chiefs Wild Card Game Thread, 1/9/2016

[WMH]

Leggo!!!

@TexansPR - The @HoustonTexans will face the Kansas City @Chiefs at 3:35 p.m. CT in Houston on Saturday, January 9th in the AFC Wild Card Game

[HPF Bob]

Houston got burned by three things in Week 1 that I hope get fixed:

1. Jamaal Charles. The KC star will not be playing although they have found some backups that are pretty good.

2. Blown coverages. Kelce had a field day against our safeties. Hopefully, Crennel has found an answer for this and I think he has with Hal and Demps as the safeties.

3. One-sided officiating. Nothing the Texans can do about bad officiating. If the NFL suits have determined that KC will win, the refs will find a way to make it happen (phantom holding and PI calls at critical moments). However, the Texans have made a ritual of getting flagged on kick returns. This has to stop. I only saw it happen once against J-ville so perhaps they are improving.

Two defensive keys:

1. Clowney needs to be healthy and disruptive. The more ways we can attack Alex Smith, the more likely they are to stop the double and triple teams of Watt. Mercilus also needs a big day early.

2. Kevin Johnson. The first-rounder from Wake was just getting his feet wet in Week 1. He's progressively seen more snaps and I think will be an asset in pass protection.

On offense, remember we played better once Hoyer was benched for Mallett so the Texans will need to be creative on offense. The only way Houston wins is a low-scoring game in the teens. Head-to-head, that's what I'm expecting - two clubs who are better on defense than they are on offense.

[WMH]

Hoyer shit the bed in game 1. Don't believe he did that to any degree the rest of the season. He put the team in some very bad spots. Hope that guy doesn't show up.

[Keith]

Kinda interesting how there are some similarities between these two teams if you squint a bit. How their seasons went, how they rely on great defenses with so-so offenses, each with a rookie DB making an impact...

Chiefs should expect Justin Houston back this week after missing about a month with a knee. Between him and Tamba Hali, they are part of a tough front 7, which sucks since Duane Brown is done for the season. How the offense gameplans and executes will go a long way in determining whether they will win the game. The Chiefs do a good job of forcing turnovers. Eliminate those, and the Texans will really put the KC offense under more pressure to move the ball.

For the Texans D, matchup issues with tight ends have improved since week 1, but c'mon, it's still an issue. Alex Smith has been sacked a whopping 44 times, which is tied for most in the league (Tannehill, Wilson, and is even one more than Bortles). That's a lot for a guy thought to have a pretty good O-line. Smith is otherwise pretty diligent with the football, throwing just 5 picks.

Should be a tight, fairly low scoring game.

[Nconroe]

Another similarity, both were thought out of it early in the year, KC at 1 and 5 and Texans at 2 and 5. Nice turnaround for sure.

[Arky]

One thing the Texans do is run the ball whether it is working or not.

Several weeks ago, the Texan run game was abysmal averaging 87 yards/gm (28th) and 3.3 yds. per carry (last). Since then and probably due to somewhat poorer competition, they have improved to 108 yards/gm (15th) and got out of the cellar with 3.7 yds. per carry (tied for 28th).

The Chiefs are a step up in run defense - they give up 98 yards/gm rushing (8th) and allow 4.1 yds. per carry (tied for 16th with the Texans and Raiders). If the Texan run game is truly improving, then Saturday will be a good test....

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Statistically, the Chiefs defense and the Texan defense are just about one and the same. I might give the edge to the Texan defense going into the game because they got their best stats in the 2nd half of the season - i.e., on a bit of a roll.....

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One edge going the Chiefs way is there giveaway/takeaway of +14, 2nd in the NFL behind only Carolina's +20. The Texans managed to get into positive territory finishing the season at +5 after being -8 at one point in the year.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/givetake

Alex Smith is your ultimate don't-turn-the-ball-over/conservative passing QB (not many giveaways) while the Chiefs defense is pretty good at the takeaways....

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Speaking of rolls, the Chiefs have won 10 in a row. That's "hot" in today's NFL. Obviously, a big test for the Texans this Sunday...............

[barrett]

The Chiefs D is tough but I think the running of Arian Foster should be able to neutralize the pass rush a bit...oh wait...

Well at least we will have Duane Brown to protect the backside...wait, he's hurt too...

At least we still have Brian Hoyer!

[HPF Bob]

And there's a new front page article questioning if Hoyer is the best choice to be quarterbacking this Sunday. All of our signature wins this season came with somebody else at the helm while all but one of our worst defeats came with you-know-who under center.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

And there's a new front page article questioning if Hoyer is the best choice to be quarterbacking this Sunday. All of our signature wins this season came with somebody else at the helm while all but one of our worst defeats came with you-know-who under center.

Given the alternatives we have, I think its ludicrous to think anyone other than Hoyer should be the QB. This is not an endorsement of Hoyer, but lack of options that we have.

IMO, he gives us the best chance to win in the playoffs. Damn, that's hard to type....OK, our D gives us the best chance to win, and I hope Hoyer doesn't screw that up. Need the "decent" Hoyer to show up for the next 4 weeks.

[Nconroe]

Probably just typos above, but the game is Saturday, not Sunday.

If the Oline holds without Duane Brown then I think Hoyer and offense will be fine.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

Probably just typos above, but the game is Saturday, not Sunday.

If the Oline holds without Duane Brown then I think Hoyer and offense will be fine.

I believe our o-line has no problems at all with holding.........

[Arky]

The 4th seeded Texans will be hosting some playoff football this Saturday as the Kansas City Chiefs come to town for the wild card round. The two teams met in Week 1 at NRG and the Chiefs walked away winners in an easy 27-20 victory, a game not as close as the score indicated. The Texan defense did hold the Chiefs scoreless in the second half and will need a similar effort for four quarters if they hope to advance in this win-or-go-home game.....

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TV = ABC/ESPN, 3:20 pm CST, Saturday, Jan 9

Announcers = Mike Turico, John Gruden (I think)

The line = Chiefs by 3 to 4

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Other playoff games this weekend:

Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati, Saturday, 7:15 pm CST, CBS

Seattle @ Minnesota, Sunday, 12:05 pm CST, NBC

Green Bay @ Washington, 3:40 pm CST, FOX

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Geno Bisconte is a part time comic and not a half bad handicapper. See Geno's take on KC vs. Hou here. Geno's videos are always entertaining and he likes the Texans to cover in this one...........

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No respect. Can you believe the out-of-the-playoffs Jets (who the Texans beat) finished ahead of the Texans in the final ESPN Power Rankings?

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I got a baaad feeling about this..... Brian Hoyer is a major key, IMO. He'll need to be accurate and on point if the Texans have a chance. He's allowed one turnover, two is unacceptable...

[HPF Bob]

Expected to be 1-degree in Minnesota Sunday. I miss truly frigid playoff football as long as my teams aren't playing in them. I hope the Vikes turn off the heat in the Seahawks' lockers.

[Arky]

I always like to see what the "experts" or noted prognosticators are up to....

Cousin Sal of ESPN likes the Chiefs because they are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games and made KC his lock of the week.

Teddy Covers likes the Texans because a team entering the playoffs that has won 8 or more games in a row is 0-13 ATS since 2004.

Something has got to give....

[HPF Bob]

There's the "they're due to have a flat game" logic.

[Keith]

Always love the home dogs.

All things considered, if Hoyer doesn't mess this up, I really like the Texans defense to flex their muscles tomorrow.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

There's the "they're due to have a flat game" logic.

If it was the Pats or Broncos coming in with a 10 game streak, that'd be 1 thing. But it's the Chiefs, with Alex Smith at the helm. Bubble has to pop sooner or later.....

Right?

[nunusguy]

This season ended up to be far more entertaining and successful than anyone could have hoped for after the embarrassing loss in the home opener to KC.
OK maybe it is the AFC South which is at least one of the two worst divisions in the NFL. So what did O'Brien and his Texans do ? They took full advantage of that situation, won the division and today they are playing a game in the 2015-16 NFL playoffs. Way to go coach !
A rematch with the Chiefs and for the second time on our home turf, so can we win this one ? I sure hope so, but I don't think we will, and I think the AFC this year is up for grabs and give the Chiefs a real chance to go all the way to the SB.
Chiefs 17, Texans 10.

[barrett]

I genuinely think the Texans will win. And if the Bengals win and we get Denver next round, I think we win again.

Of course my mythical run to the AFC title game can be derailed by a 7-0 deficit. I think this is a first team to 10 points wins kind of game.

[Arky]

Texans in all blue, Chiefs in all white.

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Texans win the toss and defer. Chiefs to receive.

Goodness. Davis takes the opening kickoff back all the way for the TD. 105 yards.

Chiefs 7, Texans 0

14:49 left in the 1st qtr.