The Houston Texans are in total control, up 10-0, against the three-time defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs at halftime of "Sunday Night Football." It's the first time the Chiefs have been shut out at home in the first half since their 2018 AFC Championship game loss to the Patriots.
The Chiefs quickly began the night behind the metaphorical eight-ball with backup left tackle Wanya Morris suffering a leg injury on the very first play that knocked him out for the rest of the night. As a result, Kansas City's first three drives ended in punts.
Both of Houston's scoring drives were jump-started by big plays downfield by Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins. Quarterback C.J. Stroud's first deep strike to Collins came off of a play-action bomb down the middle a field on a jump ball Collins corralled over Chiefs No. 1 corner Trent McDuffie. McDuffie suffered a knee injury on the play and was ruled as questionable to return. That drive ended with the first points of the night on a 35-yard field goal.
The following drive, Stroud was surrounded by three Chiefs defenders along the right sideline before he opted to heave a cross-body throw to the middle of the field. Collins mirrored his quarterback on the scramble drill and came back to the ball to make the unlikely catch. Tight end Cade Stover provided him with a key block, which sprung Collins free down the right sideline for a gain of 53 all the way down to the Chiefs' 7. He finished the half with 121 yards receiving on just four catches.
Rookie running back Woody Marks scored the game's first touchdown from 9 yards out on third-and-goal after the Chiefs' blitz left him all alone. Stroud lofted a floater his way, and Marks easily snagged the football to waltz into the end zone untouched. That put the Texans up 10-0 with 9:24 left in the half. Stroud finished the half with 171 yards passing and a touchdown while completing 12 of his 19 passes.
Mahomes' attempt to answer didn't land after Texans safety Jalen Pitre made one of the most acrobatic plays of the 2025 season. Pitre deflected Mahomes' pass intended for wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster into the air, ran back behind the airborne football to haul it in for the game's first takeaway via an interception with 8:34 left in the half.
Kansas City attempted a 43-yard field goal with a minute left in the half, but kicker Harrison Butker missed it on a doink off the right upright. Mahomes finished the half with 58 yards passing and an interception while completing 8 of his 12 throws.
Will the Chiefs be able to slow down Stroud and Collins when they begin the second half with the ball, or will Houston bury Kansas City with another score? Stay tuned to our live blog below to find out.
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Facing a fourth-and-1 at the 2, Kansas City running back Kareem Hunt plunged into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown on a shotgun handoff. That play felt like it was the Chiefs' season, and Kansas City still has some life left. They trail the Texans 10-7 with 9:52 left in the third quarter.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud had Xavier Hutchinson open over the middle on third-and-14 well beyond the sticks, but he sailed the pass for an incompletion. Kansas City will take the field for the first time trailing 10-0 at their own 44.
It just hasn't been the Chiefs' year in 2025.
Texans safety Jalen Pitre deflected Patrick Mahomes' pass intended for wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster into the air, ran back behind the airborne football to reel it in for the game's first takeaway. Houston takes over on their own 43 up 10-0 with 8:34 left to play.
The Chiefs left Texans rookie running back Woody Marks alone after blitzing on third-and-goal, and that allowed quarterback C.J. Stroud to loft a touch pass to him unhindered. Marks then jogged into the end zone untouched for a nine-yard score, the first touchdown of the night. The Texans lead 10-0 with 9:24 left in the half.
Stroud's cross-body throw found Collins right between the numbers off the scramble, and after tight end Cade Stover provided Collins with a key block, Houston ended up with a 53-yard gain down to the Chiefs' 7. Collins is up to 103 yards receiving on three catches early.
Houston picked up a first down on a tush push sneak by tight end Cade Stover, but an offensive offsides penalty nullified the play. Facing a fourth-and-5, the Texans banged through a 35-yard field goal for the first points of the night. Houston leads Kansas City 3-0 with 4:18 left in the first quarter.
Stroud launched a play-action bomb to wide receiver Nico Collins for a diving, 46-yard gain down to the Chiefs' 21. More bad injury luck for Kansas City as top corner Trent McDuffie suffered an injury upon bringing Collins down to the ground.
Houston picked up one first down, via a defensive holding penalty, before being forced to punt. Given the cold weather and the strengths of these defenses, a low-scoring affair could certainly occur. No score with 9:16 left in the first quarter, and the Chiefs will start their second drive at their own 25.
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes hit tight end Noah Gray right in the hands over the middle of the field, and he dropped the ball. Rough start to the night for the Chiefs
Week 14 was Morris' first start of the season, and now undrafted rookie Esa Pole is in at left tackle for Kansas City
Patrick Mahomes leads the NFL in passing yards per game outside the pocket (73.4) this season, but the Houston Texans are allowing an NFL-low 11 passing yards per game outside the pocket. A big key to that stat for Houston is their Pro Bowl edge rusher duo of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter: their 44.0 sacks in the last two years are the most in the NFL by a duo.
Houston is No. 1 in both scoring defense (16.5 points per game allowed) and total defense (265.7 total yards per game allowed). No team in the Super Bowl era, since 1966, has missed the playoffs with both the top scoring and total defense.
Kansas City won all 12 of their one-score games in 2024, the most such wins all-time including the playoffs. In 2025, they're just 1-6, a figure that includes a 31-28 defeat at the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving in Week 13. That's despite Patrick Mahomes throwing four touchdowns, his first career loss with at least four touchdowns thrown and no interceptions.
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Kansas City is 5-1 at home this season while they are just 1-5 on the road in 2025. They've lost four road games in a row, which is tied for the longest such streak under head coach Andy Reid.
Mahomes' six losses in 2023 are tied for the most in a season of his career along with 2023, a year that ended with the Chiefs hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy. Mahomes is seeking his 112th win since becoming a full-time starting quarterback in 2018, including the playoffs. That would tie Tom Brady for the most every by a quarterback in an eight-year span.
| Most losses in a season, Patrick Mahomes' career as starter | W-L | Season result |
|---|---|---|
2025 | 6-6 | ? |
2023 | 10-6 | W, Super Bowl |
2021 | 12-5 | L, AFC championship |
The 2024 Texans became the first team ever to lose a playoff game after outgaining an opponent by 100 or more total yards while committing no turnovers. The previous such teams to do so were 49-0 in the postseason.
Kansas City won the Week 16 matchup 27-19, a game Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud had two interceptions in. The Texans also won the AFC divisional round matchup 23-14 after sacking Stroud eight times. In that playoff game, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had 117 yards receiving and a touchdown on seven catches.
| Head-to-head last season | Texans | Chiefs |
|---|---|---|
Wins | 0 | 2 |
PPG | 16.5 | 25.0 |
Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
Times sacked | 10 | 4 |
Houston began the season 0-5 in one score games, but the Texans are now 4-0 in one-score games during their four-game winning streak.
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Houston has won seven of their of their last nine games following an 0-3 start. They're trying to become the first franchise in NFL history to make the playoffs twice after an 0-3 start. The Texans also accomplished the feat in 2018.
Teams to make playoffs after 0-3 start
* 2025 Texans started 0-3
Kansas City has a 38% chance to make the playoffs according to SportsLine, their first time under 50% in the Patrick Mahomes era --since he became their full-time starter at quarterback in 2018. Kansas City is favored in each of their final five games, but they have just a 16% chance to win out, per SportsLine.
| Chiefs final five games | Opponent | Chance to win |
|---|---|---|
Week 14 | Texans (7-5) | 62% |
Week 15 | Chargers (8-4) | 65% |
Week 16 | at Titans (2-11) | 81% |
Week 17 | Broncos (10-2) | 63% |
Week 18 | at Raiders (2-10) | 79% |
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