WATCH: Texans capitalize on Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill’s muffed punt

Watch the Houston Texans capitalize on a Chiefs muffed punt by Tyreek Hill. Deshaun Watson and Darren Fells connect on the touchdown.

The Houston Texans’ special teams are the MVP.

On the Chiefs’ first drive, outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo blocked a Kansas City punt, which cornerback Lonnie Johnson recovered for a touchdown, the Texans’ special teams struck again.

Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill muffed a Bryan Anger punt deep into Kansas City territory. The Texans’ special teamers acted on it, as cornerback Keion Crossen came up with the recovery on the six-yard-line.

The result of the muffed punt? Shock. The crowd at Arrowhead Stadium deflated at the sight of the fumble by their superstar receiver. Even worse, for those in Kansas City, the Texans quickly scored again.

After a Deshaun Watson two-yard run, the two-time Pro Bowler connected with his red-zone mate, Darren Fells. Watch below, the two connect on a touchdown to give the Texans a 21-0 lead.

Just like that, the Texans are rolling. At this rate, a Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans AFC Championship is looking increasingly likely.

Chicago vs. Kansas City: Which Chiefs player would you want on the Bears?

The Bears and Chiefs will face off on Sunday Night Football. If you could have any Chiefs player on the Bears, who would it be?

There will be no shortage of storylines when the Chicago Bears (7-7) host the Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) at Soldier Field on Sunday Night Football.

From Mitchell Trubisky vs. Patrick Mahomes to Matt Nagy vs. Andy Reid, there will be no shortage of storylines heading into this game.

Following a 12-4 season where they won the NFC North, the Bears have  flat-lined this season in the midst of offensive struggles that have, unfortunately, defined their season. They’ll miss the playoffs for the eighth time this decade.

But the Chiefs, on the other hand, have continued their dominance and look primed to return to the AFC Championship under the leadership of Mahomes and a defense that’s beginning to find its footing.

Which begs the question — which Chiefs player would you want on the Bears? (Although, I’m pretty sure what the consensus will be.)

VOTE!

[polldaddy poll=10480239]

[lawrence-related id=433571,433528,433561,433487,433482]

NFL Week 16 Power Rankings: NFC East is center of attention

The NFC East doesn’t have a team with a winning record, but it’s the most compelling division in Touchdown Wire’s weekly Power Rankings.

 

 

NFL Week 16 Power Rankings: NFC East is center of attention

The NFC East doesn’t have a team with a winning record, but it’s the most compelling division in Touchdown Wire’s weekly Power Rankings.

The NFC East is the worst division in the NFL. It also is the most entertaining.

Even though no team in the division currently has a winning record, the playoff scenario got more intriguing in Week 15. Plus, there’s all sorts of speculation about which head coaches might be fired, and a New York icon may have played his last game for the Giants.

The Cowboys finally played the way a team with that much talent is supposed to play, improving to 7-7 with a 44-21 shellacking of the Los Angeles Rams. The Eagles also climbed to 7-7 after a 37-27 win over the Redskins. Dallas plays at Philadelphia in Week 16, and the Cowboys can clinch the division title with a victory.

Even though the Cowboys are in the playoff race, coach Jason Garrett’s job doesn’t appear safe. Rumors are swirling that owner Jerry Jones is considering Urban Meyer as a replacement for Garrett.

Things got even more interesting when Meyer showed up at the Redskins game on Sunday. Can you imagine a bidding war for Meyer between Jones and Washington owner Daniel Snyder?

New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur also could be on the hot seat, even though he got a win against Miami. But Shurmur wasn’t the Giants’ most interesting story of Sunday. Instead, that was Eli Manning. The veteran quarterback played what might have been his final game for the Giants, while filling in for injured rookie Daniel Jones.

Here’s where the NFC East teams — and the rest of the league — stand in Touchdown Wire’s Week 16 Power Rankings.

32. Cincinnati Bengals

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

(1-13. Last week: 32)

A 34-14 loss to New England was expected, but the Bengals actually kept the game close until the third quarter. But in the end, they lost to one of the league’s best teams. More importantly, the Bengals remained on pace to earn the top pick in next year’s draft. That means it appears as if newly crowned Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow will wear a Cincinnati uniform next season. After briefly benching veteran starter Andy Dalton in favor of rookie Ryan Finley, the Bengals have been sticking with Dalton. That’s somewhat inexplicable, because Dalton threw four interceptions Sunday. Dalton has no future with the Bengals. But he’s doing his part to make sure Cincinnati gets Burrow.

31. Washington Redskins

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

(3-11. Last week: 30)

The Redskins lost to Philadelphia, 37-27.  The game meant nothing to the Redskins aside from impacting their draft position. The real story here is that Urban Meyer was spotted in a luxury box at FedEx Field with injured Washington quarterback Alex Smith, who played for Meyer at the University of Utah. Let the speculation grow that Meyer, who won national championships at Florida and Ohio State will be the next coach of the Redskins. Of course, current Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins also played for Meyer, at Ohio State. Meyer’s sighting could foreshadow an off-field showdown in the NFC East. There is widespread speculation that Dallas owner Jerry Jones covets Meyer. Given the personalities and egos of Jones and Washington owner Daniel Snyder, there could be a bidding war for Meyer.

30. Miami Dolphins

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

(3-11. Last week: 29)

The only real highlight of Sunday’s 36-20 loss to the Giants was that it likely was Eli Manning’s final start for New York. Injured rookie Daniel Jones is expected back in the lineup next week, and Manning probably will retire or play for another franchise next year. But there were a few bright spots for the Dolphins, too. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and receiver DeVante Parker hooked up on two touchdown passes. More significantly, the loss keeps the Dolphins in the race for an early draft pick, where they can seek a long-term answer at quarterback — because there is no long-term future with Fitzpatrick or backup Josh Rosen.

29. Detroit Lions

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

(3-10-1. Last week: 28)

The Lions lost 37-17 to Tampa Bay on Sunday. That means they now have suffered 10 losses in consecutive years with Matt Patricia as coach. They also ran their losing streak to seven games. Does all that mean Patricia is on the hot seat? There are two ways to look at it. First, Patricia’s record in Detroit (9-20-1) has been unimpressive, and coaches have been fired for less. The fan base probably wouldn’t be too upset if Patricia gets canned. But on the flip side, Patricia still has his team playing hard even though the Lions are down to third-string quarterback David Blough and are dealing with a rash of injuries. For the sake of continuity, I would give Patricia one more season.

28. New York Giants

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

(3-11. Last week: 31)

A 36-20 victory against the Miami Dolphins may not seem like much. But there was a big storyline for the history of New York’s franchise. This almost certainly was the last start of Eli Manning’s tenure with the Giants, as he threw for two touchdowns and Saquon Barkley ran for two more. Daniel Jones is New York’s quarterback of the future. Jones has been out with an ankle injury, and that’s the only reason Manning has been back as the starter. But Jones returned to practice on a limited basis last week and is expected to return as the starter for the final two games of the season. This win was important for Manning, who could decide to retire after the season. It got his career record back to .500. Manning is a borderline Hall of Famer. A .500 record sounds a lot better than a losing record to Hall of Fame voters.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

(5-9. Last week: 27)

The Jaguars went to California and beat the Raiders in their final game in Oakland before moving to Las Vegas next season. But the win doesn’t mean all that much in the grand scheme of things. Prior to the game, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that significant changes will be made in Jacksonville in the offseason. That could mean coach Doug Marrone, executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin and general manager Dave Caldwell are on the hot seat. Any or all of them could be gone after two disappointing seasons since a berth in the AFC Championship Game. The other big question in Jacksonville is who will be the quarterback next season. Rookie Gardner Minshew has outplayed the high-priced Nick Foles. Minshew has earned the right to at least compete with Foles in the preseason.

26. New York Jets

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

(5-9. Last week: 24)

Thursday night’s game against Baltimore went exactly as expected. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the likely NFL Most Valuable Player, threw for 212 yards and five touchdowns and also ran for 86 yards. That’s no surprise, since Jackson has put up huge numbers all season. What is surprising, and concerning, is that the Jets suddenly seem to be a team in turmoil. During Sunday’s game, coach Adam Gase and quarterback Sam Darnold had a heated exchange on the sideline. They downplayed the incident after the game, but it still wasn’t a good sign. Running back Le’Veon Bell, the source of controversy in Week 14 when he supposedly missed the game with the flu but was seen bowling the previous night, returned and rushed for a season-high 87 yards. Maybe Bell should go bowling more often. The Jets also clinched their fourth straight losing season. That’s their longest such streak in the Super Bowl era.

25. Carolina Panthers

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

(5-9. Last week 23)

On the surface, a 30-24 loss to Seattle isn’t embarrassing. The Seahawks are one of the best teams in the NFL, after all. But this one was embarrassing when you look at it from another perspective. The Panthers now are 2-5 at home this season. That’s embarrassing because the Panthers have good fans, and Bank of America Stadium has given the team a home-field advantage in the past. But the Panthers have lost six games in a row, and their future has more questions than answers. Will Kyle Allen, who threw three interceptions Sunday, be the starter next year? Or will it be longtime franchise quarterback Cam Newton? The bigger question is who will be the coach next year? Don’t be surprised if Urban Meyer’s name surfaces. Carolina owner David Tepper has the funds and the desire to compete with the big boys — Dallas’ Jerry Jones and Washington’s Daniel Snyder — for Meyer’s services.

32-25 | 24-17 | 16-9 | 8-1

4 things to watch for when Broncos face Chiefs in Week 15

The Denver Broncos will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15. Here are four things to keep an eye on in the matchup.

The Denver Broncos (5-8) head to Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday to face the Kansas City Chiefs (9-4).

There will be plenty on the line for the Chiefs. Though they have already clinched the AFC West division crown for the fourth year in a row, they are still in the hunt for a first-round bye in the playoffs.

For Denver, they are just trying to build on their last two wins with rookie Drew Lock at quarterback. After a dominant win over the Houston Texans last Sunday, a win this week would really get people talking.

Here’s what to look for in this one.

1. Can Lock keep it going?

(Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

Lock is the obvious place to start as he has been sharp in his two starts with the team. He hasn’t done anything out of this world, but he has looked a lot better than Joe Flacco and Brandon Allen did and that has brought an excitement that hasn’t been felt in years.

In two games, Lock has completed a whopping 72.7 percent of his throws for 443 yards and five touchdowns. On Sunday, he will be playing against the team he rooted for as a kid and members of his family and friends are sure to be in attendance.

He will likely be motivated to continue his hot streak.

2. Is Patrick Mahomes 100 percent?

(AP Foto/David Zalubowski)

Mahomes has been good this season, but he hasn’t been as good as he was in 2018 and that might be attributed to one thing — injuries.

It seems that Mahomes has been battling injuries all season, as he tweaked his ankle against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1 and later dislocated his knee in the first meeting with the Broncos this season.

Last week, he appeared to injure the thumb on his throwing hand against the New England Patriots.

The Chiefs have done a good job disguising his ailments and protecting him, but Mahomes hasn’t been “right” all year in all likelihood.

Behind Enemy Lines: 5 questions with Chiefs Wire for Week 14

A KC perspective on the Week 14 battle vs. NE

A rematch of last January’s AFC Championship is on tap for 4:25 p.m. today as the New England Patriots host the Kansas City Chiefs. New England has won the last two meetings against Kansas City, but the Chiefs know how to play tough in Foxboro. Before falling 43-40 in a Week 6 battle at Gillette Stadium last season, Kansas City spoiled the hearts of Patriots fans in a compelling 42-27 Week 1 victory in 2017.

To get more of an inside scoop on the Patriots’ rival, we spoke with Charles Goldman of Chiefs Wire about Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City’s defense, and more.

Given that Patrick Mahomes missed a few games earlier this season and backup quarterback Matt Moore took over, how do Chiefs fans feel about this Kansas City team sitting at 8-4?

I think the general consensus is that everyone is happy to be at 8-4 at this point. The Chiefs had one of the toughest schedules in the NFL this season, so to be approaching the last quarter of the season and in complete control of the AFC West is about as great of a position as you could ask for. There’s also a lot of fans out there that believe they haven’t seen this Chiefs team play their best game of the season yet. Last week against the Raiders was close, but the offense didn’t quite play up to what fans know they’re capable of.

We know about Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Tyreek Hill. What are the other offensive pieces that Patriots fans should know about?

The pair of offensive rookies, Mecole Hardman and Darwin Thompson, are the two players I’d keep an eye on during this game. Hardman has been a consistent offensive weapon throughout the season. He really rivals Tyreek Hill in terms of speed, but he’s not quite as refined as a route runner yet. I expect Andy Reid to find ways to get him involved during this game. As for Thompson, he really just emerged this past week against the Raiders. He had 11 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown late in the game. With Darrel Williams going to IR and Damien Williams unlikely to play, he should be in line for touches behind LeSean McCoy.

Last year, the Chiefs gave up a combined 80 points in their two matchups against New England. With how much the Patriots have been struggling offensively, how does this current Chiefs defense line up against New England’s offense?

I think this defense is playing some of its best football right now. They’re getting pressure and turnovers, plus the coverage on the back end is much better than Tom Brady and the Patriots saw last season. The one area where I think the Patriots offense can get an advantage is by using their running backs in the passing game. Linebacker is very clearly the weakest position in Kansas City and they don’t do a good job covering running backs in man coverage. If the Pats can force those matchups they can certainly get their offense going against the Chiefs.

In order for the Chiefs to go to the Super Bowl this year, it’s looking like they will have to win on the road in January. How confident are you that they could pull it off?

Arrowhead Stadium used to have one of the best advantages home field in the NFL, but I think that has since wavered a bit. The Chiefs have done a good job this season proving that they can win anywhere if they play their best football. They have wins on the east coast, west coast and even Mexico City. They’ve even had some really good fan turnout for several away games. If Kansas City can get a win against the Patriots in Week 14, they’ll have regular-season wins against both teams that likely secure the No. 1 and No. 2 seed in the AFC (Ravens and Pats). That’d certainly add to their confidence when it comes to going on the road.

Since I told you I predict for the Chiefs to win Sunday, what are your thoughts on this week’s matchup at Gillette Stadium?

I think there are a lot of people out there overlooking the Patriots because of their recent offensive struggles. At the same time, I think there’s an equal amount of people underrating the Chiefs because of history. Before last season, the last time the Patriots lost back-to-back games in December was 2002. The crazy streak of success in Foxboro is hard to contend with.

I feel these teams are evenly matched and I’m expecting a lower-scoring game than usual because of it. The Chiefs will find some success in frustrating Tom Brady and the Patriots offense, but Brady will get the best of the Chiefs’ defense at times. I think it comes down to a field goal in the end with a 20-17 type of victory favoring Kansas City

6 things Patriots fans should know about the Chiefs

The Chiefs are better than their 8-4 record indicates.

For the first time in the 2019 season, the New England Patriots find themselves in a must-win situation when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium in Week 14. No longer the No. 1 seed after losing to Houston in Week 13, New England will need to win to have a greater chance at securing home field advantage come January. Kansas City presents an explosive offense for a Patriots defense that let up 40 points the last time the Chiefs came to Foxboro in a 43-40 Week 6 win last season.

Here are six things that New England fans should about Kansas City before the two teams meet up Sunday.

1. As Patrick Mahomes goes so does the Chiefs offense.

What has been the key for opposing quarterbacks to find success against the Patriots vaunted defense? Possess a strong arm and a speedy pair of legs. In Week 9, Lamar Jackson led Baltimore past New England with 61 yards and two rushing scores. Last week, Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson threw three touchdown passes in a win over the Patriots. Watson’s known effective running game opened things up through the air.

It’s more of the same this week in Patrick Mahomes for the New England defense. Mahomes missed a pair of games earlier this season and has been effective on the ground since his return. Last week, he ran for 25 yards and averaged eight yards per carry to go with a rushing score. In Week 11, he finished with five rushes for 59 yards. Mahomes is more successful in the passing game when defenses have to factor in his ground game.

Bill Belichick asks funny rhetorical question regarding Tyreek Hill’s speed

Who is the fastest player in the NFL? According to Bill Belichick, there’s no question that it’s Chief’s receiver Tyreek Hill.

Who is the fastest player in the NFL? According to Bill Belichick, there’s no question that it’s Kansas City Chief’s receiver Tyreek Hill. The New England Patriots head coach was asked about Hill’s speed during his press conference on Wednesday.

“Yeah he definitely is,” Belichick said. “Does anyone not think he’s the fastest player in the league?”

“What difference does it make?” Belichick continued. “Once you’re faster than everybody else, you’re faster than everybody else.”

Hill ran a 4.25 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, and unlike many players, his speed translates to the field. Here’s a video that exemplifies how much faster he is than anyone around him.

The Patriots will host the Chiefs in Week 14 and they’ll have a healthy offensive unit that includes Hill, Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes. These three have only played together in two games this season, compared to the every game last year. Kansas City is sitting with an underwhelming 8-4 record, but that’s mostly due to the injuries this season.

New England is sitting at 10-2 and they can’t afford to lose two consecutive games because of the completion in the AFC right now. Somehow, they’ll have to slow down Hill, Kelce and this dynamic offense.

[vertical-gallery id=74890]

 

Chiefs’ opponent preview, Week 13: Scouting the Raiders

A detailed scouting report on the Chiefs’ Week 13 opponent, the Oakland Raiders.

The 7-4 Kansas City Chiefs return from their bye week to face the 6-5 Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead.

Back in Week 2, the Chiefs beat the Raiders 28-10. Oakland jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead but would fall flat and not score another point. The Chiefs exploded in the second quarter with 28 points and never look back.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 443 yards and four touchdowns and receiver Demarcus Robinson had a career day with six receptions for 172 yards and two touchdowns.

Kansas City is looking to sweep Oakland for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. If it does, it will essentially have a three-game lead over the Raiders with just four games to go, all but locking up the AFC West.

Make sure to check out our first scouting report on the Raiders earlier this season. There you’ll find the history between these two teams, the Raiders’ key additions and subtractions in personnel, key players, and coaching schemes. Check out the next page in order to find the key matchups for the Week 13 contest.

Andy Reid provides injury update ahead of Chiefs’ AFC West matchup against Oakland

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed the media Monday afternoon ahead of a contentious AFC West matchup against the Oakland Raiders. The veteran head coach began the 10-minute presser with some injury updates regarding key members of …

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed the media Monday afternoon ahead of a contentious AFC West matchup against the Oakland Raiders. The veteran head coach began the 10-minute presser with some injury updates regarding key members of the Chiefs offense.

Running back LeSean McCoy is not in concussion protocol, per Reid. This should come as a relief to Chiefs Kingdom, who need a healthy offensive core to withstand the Raiders’ defense. He left the Week 11 game against the Los Angeles Chargers to be evaluated for a head injury, resting up over the bye week. This is also especially good news for Shady considering his past history of concussions. Wednesday’s injury report should provide further confirmation and at the same time deliver an update on the status of running back Damien Williams, who suffered a rib injury in Week 11.

As for wide receiver Tyreek Hill, Reid said he remains hopeful that he could suit up against the Raiders, but also added he will be monitoring the three-time Pro Bowler during practice.

Reid also touched on his longtime rivalry with Raiders coach Jon Gruden, adding that the two have developed a friendship over the course of their careers.

“I have a lot of respect for Jon Gruden as a football coach and friend,” the veteran play caller said. “They were on a roll, and now you put things on the line here. It should be a great game and I know Arrowhead will be rocking this Thanksgiving weekend.”

With the Raiders coming off an embarrassing 34-3 defeat against the New York Jets in Week 12, there’s no doubt they’ll be marching into Arrowhead with a vengeance. The Chiefs got the best of their divisional foes when they last met in Week 2, scoring all of their points in the second quarter of the 28-10 win. Considering how Andy Reid performs after a bye week and the afternoon matchup is a home game for the Chiefs, this game should go in Kansas City’s favor.