Mahomes Reaches New Career Low in Loss to Texans

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Experts say every cigarette smoked removes 20 minutes from the end of a life. The Chiefs burned through a 24-pack carton on Sunday night.

And for as much as Kansas City has lived with Patrick Mahomes over the last seven seasons, the Chiefs did just as much dying in 2025. Sunday’s frigid 20-10 loss to Houston was the latest example.

Make no mistake, this was a team loss in every sense. But the quarterback always bears most of the blame, just as he gets most of the credit for victories.

“We battled,” the dejected quarterback said afterward. “Obviously, offensively especially, we didn't play the way we were supposed to play. I'm proud of how the defense fought with all the disadvantages we put them in, and they kept just giving us chances. And so, that's all we can ask from them.

“And offensively, I got to be better at not turning the football over, getting us into better plays in certain situations, and then giving guys chances down the field. So, I mean, it's a little bit of everything, but it starts off with me, and it kind of feeds throughout the entire team.”

kareem hun — Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) celebrate after a touchdown during the third quarter against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

It acutally could've been worse

Mahomes scattered three interceptions over four quarters and made a heads-up play to prevent a fourth. Over one agonizing stretch that covered most of the fourth quarter, he went a career-long 10 consecutive passes without a completion.

That stretch included two interceptions, a pair of drive-killing fourth-down incompletions and unbearable dropped passes by normally reliable targets.

travis kelc — Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) fails to haul in a pass that Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) would intercept during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

By the time he ended the streak late in the fourth quarter, the game was out of reach. When the lights went out at Arrowhead Stadium, Mahomes had his worst day as a professional.

A month after first establishing a career low in a 28-21 loss at Buffalo, Mahomes wound up with the lowest completion percentage of his career, 42.4 percent. Contagious drops didn’t help his cause, but in completing only 14 of 33 attempts for 160 yards, with no touchdowns, he had his worst game in better than three years.

lassite — Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter (4) intercepts a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Hollywood Brown (5) during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Still in it -- until fourth quarter

But for as badly as the Chiefs played over stretches of Sunday, they were very much in the game after dominating the third quarter. They stormed out of the locker room and drove for their first points, Mahomes orchestrating an eight-play, 56-yard drive capped with Kareem Hunt’s touchdown to pull within 10-7.

And the quarterback fed off the defense’s momentum and made several savvy plays to steer the Chiefs into Harrison Butker’s range for a game-tying field goal late in the third quarter.

Then, as soon as the third quarter expired, so did the Chiefs’ rally.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Mahomes lofted a deep ball down the left sideline. Singled up with Kamari Lassiter, Hollywood Brown couldn’t adjust and the cornerback picked off the pass at the Texans’ 16-yard line.

“Yeah, they got a good rush, and I obviously didn't throw it far enough,” Mahomes explained. “But in that situation, as long as they don't get a return, it isn't the worst thing in the world. So, just trying to give a guy a chance down the field.

“I wish I'd have thrown it a little bit more inside and gave Hollywood a chance to maybe high-point the ball, but he made a good play of falling off the receiver and making a play. So, I'll be better at where I locate the football to give my guy a better chance to go out there make a contested catch.”

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