Chiefs-Texans Live Game Thread

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- To see the live game thread, see below...

First quarter

Kickoff weather: 27 degrees, 80 percent humidity, winds out of the north at 8 mph. Wind chill is 19. Houston wins toss and defers. Mahomes gets ball first.

Wanya Morris injured on very first play. Esa Pole in for second snap at left tackle, making his NFL debut. Chiefs go three-and-out after Noah Gray drops third-down pass.

Chiefs’ first sack since the opening drive at Denver on Nov. 16. Team had gone back-to-back games without a sack for first time since 2021. The span covered 12 quarters, including OT vs. Colts.

Xavier Worthy gets his first punt return since his college days at Texas.

Injury update: Wanya Morris (knee) listed as questionable. He was carted to the locker room during that last series.

Mahomes' third-career reception (heads-up play, catching his own deflected pass) but Chiefs have to punt again.

Referee Alan Eck: "Replay assist was incorrect." From fourth-and-1 to first-and-goal to fourth-and-1. On next play, Texans attempt a Tush Push and appear to get first down but Arionte Ersery called for lining up in the neutral zone. Texans have to settle for FG.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 1 – Fairbairn 35-yard field goal. Texans 3, Chiefs 0, 4:18 first quarter. Drive: five plays, 51 yards, 2:27.

Chiefs just gave up first sack. Injury updates: Wanya Morris (knee) downgraded to out. Trent McDuffie (knee) questionable.

End of first quarter: Texans 3, Chiefs 0.

Second quarter

Mike Edwards can’t corral tipped pass, the ninth time this season the Chiefs' defense has dropped an interception. C.J. Stroud rolls to right and throws back across his body to hit Collins for another 52 yards. Chiefs leave Woody Marks uncovered in flat for 9-yard touchdown. Critical penalty – bad call – on Chiefs’ Nohl Williams. Replays show Nico Collins slipped, but officials flag rookie for holding. Instead of punting deep in own end, first down Houston.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 2: Woody Marks 9-yard touchdown from C.J. Stroud. Texans 10, Chiefs 0, 9:24, second quarter. Drive: 10 plays, 90 yards, 5:30.

TURNOVER: Chiefs' defense can't secure a tipped INT but Texans can. Fantastic play by Jalen Pitre to tip ball to himself. Texans take over.

Huge stand by Chiefs, with Spagnuolo sending Kevin Knowles on a pressure to hurry Stroud on third down. Texans have to punt.

First time Chiefs have been able to target Travis Kelce, with four minutes left in second quarter. Incomplete. Chiefs get important momentum on consecutive plays – 15-yard facemask penalty and 22-yard strike to Xavier Worthy just before two-minute warning. After Noah Gray drops his second pass, Houston gets second sack and Chiefs have to settle for field goal. Harrison Butker’s 43-yard kick hits upright, no good.

On third-and-16, Stroud avoids Chris Jones – unbelievable escape by Stroud -- and hits Collins again, this time to prevent Mahomes from getting the ball back. Jones sacks him on next play but time runs out.

Halftime: Texans 10, Chiefs 0.

Third quarter

KC comes out with a ton of life, defense sets tone and holds Texans to three-and-out.

After punt and good field position, Mahomes hits Hollywood Brown for 35 yards. Mahomes pushes pile on Kareem Hunt's third-and-1 carry. First-and-10 from 11. Then, after a gutsy Mahomes run falls just shy of the marker, Andy Reid keeps his offense on field on fourth-and-1 from the 2. Kareem Hunt plows into end zone, overpowering Danielle Hunter, for Chiefs’ first points. Shows incredible heart on touchdown run.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 3 – Kareem Hunt 2-yard run. Texans 10, Chiefs 7, 9:52 third quarter. Drive: eight plays, 56 yards, 4:08.

Backed up against their own goal line, Chiefs overcome false start, convert another third-and-1 with Kareem Hunt, and chunk the ball down the field to Worthy. But drive stalls when Pitre ties up Kelce on incompletion. Chiefs punt.

Kansas City’s defense with a third three-and-out. Chiefs have shut down Texans since Houston’s second-quarter touchdown. Great field position for Kansas City (own 48-yard line).

On first play of drive, Mahomes takes shot for Thronton in end zone but Lassiter punches ball out of his hands (quarterback had plenty of time to throw). After moving inside 20, Kareem Hunt drops third-and-2 pass. Butker just barely converts field goal to tie it at 10.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 4 – Butker 36-yard field goal. Texans 10, Chiefs 10, 1:50 third quarter. Drive: seven plays, 30 yards, 2:45.

Four straight three-and-outs for Spags & Co. Third-down blitz looked like clear intentional grounding but referee said it wasn’t. On ensuing Chiefs drive, Pitre delivers powerful hit on Rashee Rice to force incompletion. Creed Humphrey takes exception and officials have to separate players.

End of third quarter: Tie game, 10-10.

Fourth quarter

Mahomes underthrew that one badly. Lassiter, who was questionable entering tonight, gets Houston's second INT tonight.

Karlaftis off the edge blasts Stroud for a sack, but quarterback courageously on next play stands in pocket and hits first-down pass to Higgins, Houston’s initial first down since 7:07 of the second quarter. Then, Jaylen Watson absolutely crushes Noel on an end around to force a punt. Tremendous form tackle.

Andy Reid keeps offense on field, on fourth-and-1 from own 32-yard line, but in empty backfield, Mahomes can't connect with Rice. Looked like Stingley hit him in back a tad early. Texans ball on short field.

All-Pro play by Stroud on third-and-3. Chris Jones nearly sacks Stroud to take Texans out of field-goal range and QB hits Higgins for 8 yards. First down. One play after Marks leaves, third-string RB Dare Ogunbowale punches in touchdown.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 5 – Ogunbowale 5-yard touchdown. Texans 17, Chiefs 10, 6:56 fourth quarter. Drive: six plays, 31 yards, 3:22.

Momentum significantly changed with Reid’s playcall on fourth-and-short. After Texans TD, Chiefs can’t move ball. On fourth-and-4, this time Rice is open but drops ball. Texans take over at Chiefs’ 41-yard line, 5:26 remaining.

andy reid, ben johnso — Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid shakes hands with Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears entered the week clutching the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff picture. Their point margin is plus-six.

The Kansas City Chiefs (6-6) entered the week fighting for their playoff lives, needing to win out and help from other teams to sniff the postseason. Their point margin is plus-73.

“We do have stats,” head coach Andy Reid said this week, “but you need points, and can you make sure that you take care of business when you're in the red zone?

“If you need to score 35, you score 35. If you need to score 20, you make sure that you have more points than they have. And that's all three phases.”

patrick mahome — Nov 23, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) scrambles against Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore (95) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The phase concerning Kansas City most this week is its offense, which draws a Texans unit that ranks first in yards allowed per game (265.7) and first in points allowed (16.5).

“You pick up a play here or there,” Reid continued, “that's the difference in the game, and that's where we're at right now. And we've got to flip that around. And to do that, you've got to take care of some of these issues, and then it's a different ball game.

“But you have to do it. I mean, I can stand here and talk about it, but you gotta go do it.”

Before they head out to do it on a chilly night at Arrowhead Stadium, a few appetizers…

First quarter

Second quarter

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

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