The Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans faced off in a thrilling AFC Divisional Playoff game on January 18, 2025, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
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. The Chiefs, led by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, defeated the Texans 23-14 to advance to their seventh consecutive AFC Championship game
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The game started with a bang as the Chiefs’ special teams unit set the tone with a 63-yard kickoff return by Nikko Remigio
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. Despite starting their first offensive drive at the Texans’ 13-yard line, the Chiefs had to settle for a 32-yard field goal by Harrison Butker
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. The Texans responded with a 30-yard field goal by Ka’imi Fairbairn, making it a 3-3 tie early in the first quarter
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The Chiefs took the lead in the second quarter when running back Kareem Hunt scored a 1-yard touchdown run, putting Kansas City up 10-3
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. The Texans managed to narrow the gap with another field goal by Fairbairn, making it 10-6 at halftime
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In the third quarter, the Texans’ Joe Mixon broke through the Chiefs’ defense for a 13-yard touchdown run, giving Houston a 12-10 lead
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. However, the Chiefs quickly responded with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Travis Kelce, putting Kansas City back in the lead 17-12
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The fourth quarter saw the Chiefs extend their lead with another field goal by Butker, making it 20-12
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. The Texans had a chance to cut the deficit to one point, but Fairbairn missed a 55-yard field goal attempt
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. The Chiefs sealed the game with a final touchdown pass from Mahomes to Kelce, making the final score 23-14
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Patrick Mahomes had an impressive performance, completing 16-of-25 passes for 177 yards and one touchdown
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. Kelce was his favorite target, catching seven passes for 117 yards and one touchdown
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. On the Texans’ side, quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 245 yards, but the team struggled with penalties and missed opportunities
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The Chiefs’ defense was dominant, sacking Stroud eight times and recording 14 quarterback hits
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. George Karlaftis stood out with a career-high three sacks
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. The Texans’ offense managed to gain 149 rushing yards, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Chiefs’ strong performance
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This victory marks the Chiefs’ eighth straight playoff win and sets them up for another shot at the Super Bowl
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. The Texans, despite their valiant effort, fell short but showed promise for future seasons.
For more highlights and details, you can watch the full game recap on YouTube.
What did you think of the game?
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Sporting News | MSN
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USA TODAY Sports | MSN
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bing.com
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