HOUSTON — If the Houston Texans want to keep their seasons alive, they'll have to leave Kansas City with a win Sunday. It's no easy task as the Chiefs are the No.2 seed in the AFC and are coming off a bye week.
Houston, meanwhile, topped Buffalo in a thriller last Saturday to advance.
Here are 11 things to know about the Houston-Kansas City showdown at Arrowhead Sunday.
1) You can't enjoy it if you can't see it!
The first thing to know is that the game will be on KHOU 11 at 2:05 p.m. Houston time. We'll also be having live streams around the game to talk to you!
2) Can the Texans keep the pattern going?
This will be the fourth time the Texans have reached the divisional round of the playoffs. In each of the three previous times, they went up against a team they played in the regular season -- Baltimore once and New England twice. In all three of those games, the playoff game had the same winner as in the regular season. In week 6 of this season, Houston beat the Chiefs in Kansas City, 31-24.
3) The Chiefs are really good...again!
The Chiefs are the only team in the divisional round this year that were also in the divisional round last year. They won that game against Tennessee, but ended up losing in overtime to New England in the AFC championship game the following week.
4) For information purposes only...
Kansas City is a 9.5-point favorite over the Texans. Houston is 6-6 against the spread. Kansas City is 7-5.
5) Watt a comeback!
For J.J. Watt, it'll be his second game back since injuring his pectoral muscle against Oakland earlier this season. In last week's win over Buffalo, Watt had a critical third-quarter sack to hold the Bills to a field goal and keep it a two-score game. Even though he played only half the season, Watt is 20th in quarterback hits this year with 21, according to HoustonTexans.com.
6) Past meets the present
It's current Texans vs. former Texans: The Houston Texans are playing the Chiefs, who used to be the Dallas Texans. And if Houston wins, they'll play the team that used to play here -- the Tennessee Titans -- in the city the Titans (the Oilers at the time) left.
7) This should help the Texans offense!
NFL.com reports Texans wide receiver Will Fuller will play Sunday against the Chiefs. In the 11 games he's played this season, he has 49 catches for 670 yards and three touchdowns. He changes the dynamics of the Houston offense.
8) DeAndre Hopkins is a really good receiver. Just ask the Chiefs.
According to HoustonTexans.com, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has had huge games against Kansas City. In the Week 6 win, Hopkins had nine catches. In 2017, Hopkins caught three touchdown passes against KC. And in 2016 vs. the Chiefs, Hopkins hauled in 7 passes for 113 yards and a score.
9) Stop the air assault!
The Texans will need to step it up against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. According to ESPN, KC has the fifth-most passing yards per game in the league at 281.1. Meanwhile, Houston gives up the fourth-most passing yards per game at 267.3.
10) It's a youth movement
Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes are both under the age of 25, making this just the third time in modern history two QBs 25 years or younger clash in the divisional round of the playoffs, according to NFL.com.
11) Bundle up
It's going to be COLD Sunday in Kansas City. According to Kansas City CBS affiliate KCTV, the high will be barely over freezing at 35 with a low of 22 degrees.
