Follow the second round clashes in the NFL on Saturday with RDS and RDS.ca at 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Our Blitz team sets the table with a pre-match at 4 p.m.
Texans c. Chiefs à 16 h 30
The Kansas City Chiefs took the first step toward winning a third straight Super Bowl by making the playoffs. They now want to get a little closer to the ultimate goal and to do so, they will have to defeat the Houston Texans in the afternoon.
After earning a bye week by finishing first in the American Association with a 15-2 record, Andy Reid’s squad will play its first playoff game against a rival that brings back certain memories.
The last time the Texans visited the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in the 2nd round was in 2020 and it will be remembered that at that time, Houston built a 24-0 lead only to see the Chiefs overturn steam with 28 points in the second quarter and eventually win 51 to 31. Kansas City had triumphed in the Super Bowl that year.
Even if some players are still in place for the Chiefs, including Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, the main players are no longer the same for the Texans.
-It’s no longer Deshaun Watson, but CJ Stroud behind the center. After a campaign that left many wanting more, Stroud did what he had to do to help his team defeat the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round. He and receiver Nico Collins will certainly have to have a strong game to surprise the Chiefs. Same story for running back Joe Mixon.
But if Houston reached the second round, it was mainly thanks to the masterful performance of its defensive unit which manhandled Justin Herbert. Against an offensive line that has shown signs of weakness in Kansas City this season, the defensive front will have to step up to put pressure on Mahomes.
The Chiefs quarterback, however, has seen others. The Chiefs haven’t been as dominant as their record this season with very close finishes, but they were able to find ways to leave the field with the victory. After an ankle injury, the rest in the last two weeks can only have been beneficial for Mahomes who appeared to be playing his best football late in the season. He led the Chiefs to a 27-19 win against the Texans on December 21 before following up with three touchdown passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers the following week.
Will the Chiefs’ dream of a fourth Super Bowl in six years still be alive at the end of the game or will the Texans have completed one of the great surprises in the NFL in recent years? The answer from 4:30 p.m. The winner of this duel will await the winner of the highly anticipated match between the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday (6:30 p.m. on RDS2).
