Arrowhead Report

The Starting 11 and Top Storylines Entering Sunday’s Chiefs-Texans Showdown

Unique notes, stats and trends as Kansas City Chiefs prepare for must-win primetime clash.
Zak Gilbert|
Dec 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talks with Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans after the win over the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Dec 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talks with Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans after the win over the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

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Kansas City Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Steve Kornacki is dusting off his khakis and rolling up his sleeves. It must be December in the NFL.

Every December, the political correspondent breaks down the playoff percentages on Football Night in America. While the Texans and Chiefs are warming up on a cold night before Sunday Night Football (7:20 p.m. CT, NBC/KSHB-TV, Channel 41, 96.5 The Fan), Kornacki will creatively dissect playoff scenarios just as he does elections.

patrick mahome
Dec 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass against the Houston Texans during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Kornacki really doesn’t need to do any homework on the Chiefs, though. Every game from this point forward might as well be a playoff contest for Kansas City (6-6), which needs to essentially run the table to reach the postseason.

Here’s the Starting 11 for the Chiefs-Texans game in Week 14…

1-Chiefs have been there, done that

The Chiefs desperately need a five-game winning streak to close the season if they want to reach the playoffs. And recent history calls them the most likely NFL team to do just that.

According to analyst Scott Kacsmar, the Chiefs are attempting to extend their 12-season stretch of consecutive seasons with at least one five-game winning streak. Kansas City’s string is the longest of its kind since Hank Stram brought his AFL champion Chiefs to Los Angeles to square off against the Packers in Super Bowl I.

2-Number of the Week (130.6)

Seattle’s Jaxson Smith-Njigba is considered a strong candidate for NFL Offensive Player of the Year. But since Rashee Rice returned from his six-game suspension in Week 7, the two wide receivers have scored exactly the same amount of fantasy points, 130.6.

3-Reunion time

Sunday’s game brings together a few familiar faces, players who’ve experienced a lot of adversity over their NFL careers. Running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, who’ve combined for five Pro Bowl selections and an NFL rushing title, shared the same backfield in Cleveland from 2019-23.

kareem hunt, nick chubb, baker mayfiel
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski talks with Nick Chubb, left, Kareem Hunt, and Baker Mayfield during a game against Washington on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won the game 34-20. [Phil Masturzo/Beacon Journal] | PHIL MASTURZO via Imagn Content Services, LLC

And Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu, selected by the Texans in the fifth round of the 2019 draft, left Houston to play for DeMeco Ryans in San Francisco from 2021-22 – when Ryans was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator.

Meanwhile, Texans punter Tommy Townsend earned two Super Bowl rings with the Chiefs.

tommy townsend, harrison butke
Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Kansas City Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend (5) celebrates after place kicker Harrison Butker (7) kicked a field goal against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

4-Spotlight – individual matchup

Rashee Rice against Texans slot cornerback Jalen Pitre. Two of the league’s better inside players should go one-on-one on many of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps. Rice is tied for third in the league with 9.8 targets per game, and fourth with 7.0 receptions per game.

Pitre, meanwhile, is tied for eighth in the league with three interceptions. He also has the respect of one of the most physical players in the league, Derrick Henry.

5-Spotlight – team matchup

In order to have a chance against the league’s No. 1 defense, the Chiefs have to excel in the red zone. Patrick Mahomes mentioned after last week’s loss in Dallas that the one positive for the Chiefs’ offense was its red-zone improvement, three touchdowns in all three trips inside the 20-yard line.

travis kelc
Nov 27, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) catches a pass for a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. (59) during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Kansas City’s red-zone touchdown percentage (62.0 percent) is 10th in the league. Houston’s defense, meanwhile, is a bit of an Achilles’ heel for the Texans. They rank 18th in the NFL, allowing touchdowns on 58.62 percent of opponent possessions inside the 20.

And when Houston has the ball, the Chiefs’ defense has to hold the Texans out of the end zone. Houston’s red-zone offense ranks 31st in the NFL at 43.59 percent. Kansas City has been encouragingly stingy in the red zone of late. When opponents pierce the Chiefs’ 20-yard line over the last three games, they’ve reached the end zone on only five of 13 possessions (38.5 percent). Overall, the Chiefs rank tied for seventh (54.29 percent).

tyler warren
Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (84) makes a catch for a touchdown Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

6-Streak speak

Deshaun Watson was Houston’s quarterback the last time the Texans beat the Chiefs, Oct. 13, 2019, at Arrowhead Stadium. Since, the Chiefs have captured five straight wins over Houston.

j.j. watt, patrick mahome
Oct 13, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) embrace after the game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

7-Did you know?

The Chiefs, who own a 5-1 record at Arrowhead Stadium, are home for two straight weeks and three of their final five games. However, their inability to close road wins may wind up keeping the team home for the playoffs. Kansas City is just 1-5 away from home. The last time the team had five road losses was 2014, also the last time the Chiefs missed the playoffs.

8-Under-the-radar storyline

It was March 21, 2012. That was the day Andy Reid traded for a Houston Texans linebacker named DeMeco Ryans. Then in charge of the Eagles’ football operations, Reid got Ryans along with the Texans’ third-round choice in 2012 for a pair of picks, one in the third round and another in the fourth.

demeco ryan
December 9, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Philadelphia Eagles middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans (59) and outside linebacker Mychal Kendricks (95) tackle Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. The Eagles won 23-21. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Reid used that third-rounder (88th overall) to draft a quarterback out of Arizona named Nick Foles. After three years in Philadelphia, one in St. Louis and another in Kansas City – with Reid – Foles returned to Philadelphia in 2017 and led the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory.

9-Trend time

The Chiefs are one of six NFL teams entering Week 14 ranked in the top 10 in both points per game and points allowed per game. They’re also the only team in that group currently out of the playoff picture.

10-Rookie Road:

The Chiefs have gotten outstanding special-teams production from their rookie class, including non-drafted players Cooper McDonald and Kevin Knowles. McDonald leads the team with 13 special-teams tackles (in 12 games).

Nohl Williams is third on the team with 10, and Knowles – who downed two second-half punts inside the Cowboys’ 5-yard line last week – is tied for fourth with eight special-teams stops. Knowles, who’s played only eight games, averages one special-teams tackle per game.

kevin knowle
Sep 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Kevin Knowles (38) celebrates after a play during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

11-And last but not least

Travis Kelce stands 81 yards from joining Jerry Rice as one of only two NFL players with at least 800 receiving yards in 12 consecutive seasons.

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Zak Gilbert
ZAK GILBERT

Since his freshman year at the University of Colorado, Zak Gilbert has worked 30 years in sports, including 18 NFL seasons. He's spent time with four NFL teams, serving as head of communications for both the Raiders and Browns. A veteran of nine Super Bowls, he most recently worked six seasons in the NFL's New York league office. He now serves as the Kansas City Chiefs Beat Writer On SI

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