The Good, Bad, & Ugly From Texans' 20-10 Win vs. Chiefs

The Houston Texans managed to take home a fifth-straight win in their primetime road battle against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, besting Patrick Mahomes and Co., 20-10, which officially places them as the seventh seed in the AFC playoff picture with four weeks to go in the season.

Even with a winning result, though, the win came in a far from perfect outing from the Texans.

An elite defensive performance kept Kansas City to their lowest point total of the year yet, and gives Houston a ton of confidence with a critical four-game stretch ahead. But had a few mistakes been tuned up, there might've been a chance for Houston to win by more than two scores to make this one feel even better.

Here's the good, bad, and ugly from the Texans' statement win in Arrowhead against the Chiefs:

The Good: Defense Generating Takeaways

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

It was another night of the Texans' defense running the show, and against such a potent offense like the Chiefs have the capability of being, Houston did an incredible job of taking the ball out of Patrick Mahomes' hands; giving him perhaps some of his biggest fits of the season thus far.

Jalen Pitre put together the first takeaway in the first half for an interception via defelection that took the life out of a big Chiefs drive. Kamari Lassiter then contributed on his behalf for a pick at the top of the fourth quarter with a tie game, and team captain linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair claimed the dropped pass intended for Travis Kelce in the end that cemented a Texans fifth-straight victory.

One could argue that Texans safety Jalen Pitre is playing at an All-Pro level. Plays like this back it up . When QBs targets Pitre they have a passer rating of 47.3, 10th lowest among all defenders per NGS pic.twitter.com/8qRSwObmNH
— DJ Bien-Aime (@Djbienaime) December 8, 2025

Winning the turnover margin can oftentimes be the defining factor for games in the NFL, and in Arrowhead, the Texans capitalized on those against an offense that's been a consistent force in recent years

If they can pick apart this group and take away the ball on three separate occasions, they have the chance to take apart anyone.

The Bad: Penalty Issues Continue

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Texans head coach Demeco Ryans looks on during the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Texans and Chiefs both came into the night as top-ten penalized teams in the NFL, and as the action unfolded on Sunday night, Houston turned out to be the more undisciplined team of the two— especially when it came to calls that fell upon the offensive line, especially in the first half.

The Texans had an illegal shift and an offensive offsides in the first quarter that kept a touchdown out of reach on their second drive, and had a tough false start from Aireontae Ersery at the end of the second quarter that set C.J. Stroud and Co. back from putting some late points on the board.

In all, it was eight penalties for 59 yards on Houston's part, which is a bit improved from some of their previous outings, but as the margins get thinner in the final stretch of this season, there are moments where those penalties can be the difference.

Ensuring those flags keep to a minimum will be key for DeMeco Ryans' group moving forward to keep their postseason hopes alive and well.

The Ugly: Houston's Rushing Efficiency

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) tackles Houston Texans running back Woody Marks (27) during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

On one hand, the Texans were able to show more of a commitment to the run game than they have throughout really the entire season, rolling out Woody Marks for his highest mark of carries on the year with 26 touches in the backfield compared to two other touches from other backs.

But while that emphasis on the run game was strong, the efficiency in those touches wasn't quite there for Marks. The rookie ran for a total of 68 yards on the night for 2.6 yards per carry; his third-lowest yards/carry in a game that he's logged 10-plus touches.

Thankfully, Marks' effectiveness as a receiver still allowed him to get a score on the board, even with a limited day in the backfield.

Guess there's a snake in his boot!#ProBowlVote + Woody Marks

📺 : snfonnbc pic.twitter.com/M0etvI2YKF
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 8, 2025

Yet, as the season gets deeper and the run game becomes even more vital, the Texans will have to squeeze a bit more out of the run if they want to be the late season dark horse they're talked up to be. C.J. Stroud was solid through the air, but relying on him too much could become a bit troublesome if the run game doesn't pose much of a threat.

Having the explosive talent of Woody Marks in the backfield helps bring the optimism that step forward for the run game can come in due time. But with four weeks left to go in the regular season, that production will have to find its consistency sooner rather than later.

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