Tag: Texans vs. Chiefs

Texans might not face off against Patrick Mahomes in Week 16 because of one play

Patrick Mahomes’ status is now in jeopardy as the Houston Texans prepare to take on the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Houston Texans could have a preview of what to expect in the AFC playoffs next week when they travel to Arrowhead Stadium for a showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Patrick Mahomes might be waiting to debut against second-year gunslinger C.J. Stroud in January instead of Week 16.

The three-time MVP passer sustained an ankle injury during Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns. During his postgame press conference, Mahomes said he was unsure if he would play next week when the Texans come to town.

“It’s hard to say right now,” Mahomes said after the Chiefs’ 14-point road victory in Cleveland “You still [have the] adrenaline rolling and usually it’s kind of the day after when you kind of get a good sense of it. I feel like I could have finished the game in different circumstances, but I thought the smart decision … was to put Carson Wentz in.

“… You just do what you have to do to get back, and I think that’s the most important thing. And now we just get back to the rehab part, the treatment part, and try to get ourselves ready on a short week against a good football team.”

According to NFL Network, Mahomes is listed as “week-to-week” entering the final three regular season games. Kansas City has already clinched the AFC West and sits at 12-1 in the conference standings.

Mahomes’ absence could benefit Houston in multiple ways. Should the Indianapolis Colts defeat the Denver Broncos on Sunday, a win next week would secure the Texans their second division title.

If Houston were to clinch the AFC South in Week 15, everything would move toward seeding. With a head-to-head win over the Buffalo Bills, the Texans could move up to as high as No. 2 in the AFC postseason picture, thus giving them a home matchup against the No. 7 seed.

While Mahomes is expected to undergo X-rays, Chiefs coach Andy Reid told reporters postgame that he could have re-entered the game but the team thought it was best to leave him sidelined.

“He wanted to fight about it, but we’ve got a good support there behind him with Carson and it was good to get him a few reps in there too and let our guys hear that snap count in case he has to go,” Reid said.

If Wentz is to start, Houston has a good indication of limiting the former No. 2 overall pick. He finished 2-of-2 passing for 20 yards in mop-up duty and would likely trust a ground game to beat Houston next weekend.

Houston, which improved to 9-5 following Sunday’s 20-12 win over the Miami Dolphins, hasn’t played at Arrowhead since the 2020 season opener.

Most fans remember the matchup against the Chiefs for the 24-0 blown first-quarter lead in the AFC Divisional Round in 2019. Houston ended up losing behind a Mahomes comeback in a 51-31 outcome.

Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.

Former Texans CB unretires to face former team in Week 16’s showdown

Former defensive back Steven Nelson could be taking on the Houston Texans in Week 16’s matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs

Steven Nelson wasn’t a fan of retirement life, so he’s headed back to where his career started for a playoff push.

The Kansas City Chiefs announced Monday they signed the former Houston Texans cornerback to their practice squad, thus shoring up their injury-depleted secondary just before the holidays. 

Much like Houston, Kansas City plays two games within five days against the Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Nelson, 31, announced his retirement from football after nine NFL seasons in June. Multiple teams were interested in signing him on a one-year deal, but neither side could agree to the basics of the contract. 

A third-round pick out of Oregon State, Nelson spent four seasons with the Chiefs as the team’s No. 2 cornerback. He started 38 games and was regarded as one of the better secondary defenders.

He played his last two in Houston as the team’s top defender opposite Derek Stingley Jr. In the offseason, the Texans chose to move on from Nelson despite a solid season in favor of a younger defender for DeMeco Ryans’ defense. 

With their first pick, the Texans drafted Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter. He’s been a staple for a Houston secondary that ranks seventh in pass coverage entering Week 15. 

Nelson was a standout player on the field but was consistently drawing negative attention toward himself off it. Tension began when Nelson made fun of general manager Nick Caserio on Instagram after he didn’t extend his contract in the 2023 offseason.

He posted a photo of a down vest, a staple of Caserio’s attire, and wrote, “Can’t trust a MF that wears these for every day of the week. Clown freak.”

Caserio eventually let it slide once training camp began, but Nelson wasn’t done.

After nearly a million residents lost power during a deadly storm in May, Nelson publically called out Texans coach DeMeco Ryans on Instagram to help relief efforts, writing, “Let’s go milk dud man. It’s your time to shine. Damn all that meathead persona. Time to get your hands dirty for the city.”

Most recently, Nelson was vocal on X, formerly known as Twitter,  calling out linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for his illegal hit against Trevor Lawrence. Shortly after the hit to Lawrence in the second quarter of Week 13’s 23-20 win, Nelson called it “crash out behavior” from Al-Shaair.

Al-Shaair was suspended for three games and fined. Meanwhile, Lawrence was placed on the season-ending injured reserve, though Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said the team planned on shutting him down because of a shoulder injury.

If all goes according to plan, Nelson could be added to the Chiefs’ active roster soon. Kansas City lost multiple starters, including Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams, for multiple games. And while Trent McDuffie is perhaps the league’s most underrated defensive back, the remaining options have ten combined career starts.

So, yes, Nelson could be making his debut against the Texans at Arrowhead with playoff implications on the line.

In the great words of Lane Kiffin, you might want to get your popcorn ready.