Five things that stood out about the Chiefs’ loss to the Texans on Sunday night
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chiefs' loss drops playoff odds to 10-15%, season now likely ends early.
- Offensive drops and fourth-quarter failures cost Kansas City critical drives.
- Left tackle injuries force fourth-string line, limiting playbook and rush protection.
For the first time since Patrick Mahomes arrived, it’s shaping up to be a quiet January in Kansas City.
The Houston Texans beat the Chiefs 20-10 on Sunday night, a result that unfolded with one similarity to their other six losses:
They failed in the fourth quarter.
The Chiefs are 6-7, and after three straight Super Bowl trips they’re a distant shot to even reach the playoffs.
Here are five observations from immediately after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium:
1. Where’s the help?
The Chiefs played the best defense in the NFL — and they lined up without three starting offensive linemen.
It was obvious before the opening coin toss: Patrick Mahomes needed some help from his skill position players.
In a fitting image of the Chiefs’ season, their final fourth-quarter gasp was halted on an interception that first hit Travis Kelce in the hands. It’s just as fitting that their previous possession was ended on a fourth-down incompletion that hit Rashee Rice in the hands. We’ve seen both of those plays in high-leverage moments this season — in two separate losses, by the way.
The NFL doesn’t technically track drops as an official statistic, but we can — the Chiefs’ receivers (counting Kelce here, too) let seven catchable passes fall through their hands.
The impact stands out even more than the quantity – Noah Gray and Kareem Hunt on third downs, Tyquan Thornton on a tough catch in the end zone, Rice on fourth down and Kelce for the interception.
As has been the theme for their season, the Chiefs choked in the game’s biggest moments.
2. That fourth-down decision
The inconsistency is rather confusing. In an offensive shootout a week ago, the decision is to punt; but in a defensive battle Sunday, the decision is to go for it?
I’m not crazy about the decision, though a fourth-quarter fourth-down failure that turned the game in the Texans’ favor was about far more than the decision to go for it. The models liked the decision, and if I quote them when Andy Reid is too passive, I have to mention that here.
But there is one reason I would’ve been a tad more hesitant: The Texans had nothing going offensively. Their five second-half possessions had gained 17 yards. The defense had done everything to pull the Chiefs back in the game.
But the play-call from your own 31? It deserves the most scrutiny.
The Chiefs have a cheat code on short yardage this season with Hunt, who was already 3-for-3 on short yardage in this game. Maybe they figured the Texas would see that coming, but it’s not as though Houston didn’t expect that call the initial three times the Chiefs gave it to Hunt.
But even if you go another direction, you have to at least make the defense believe your go-to option is in play. When they snapped the ball, the Chiefs didn’t have Hunt in the backfield. They didn’t have anyone in the backfield until they motioned Hollywood Brown there. Brown hasn’t had a rushing attempt in his two years in KC.
It basically left the Texas with only one play to defend — a dropback pass.
They did defend it.
3. The big WR
The Chiefs’ secondary has had a good year, but there’s one specific type of wide receiver that has posed problems.
The big-framed pass-catchers.
Add Nico Collins to the list.
Colins had four catches for 121 yards Sunday, all in the first half. The Chiefs’ defense played so well in the second half that it’s hard to remember they struggled in the opening two quarters.
This is why.
Collins’ first deep catch not only beat Trent McDuffie, but left McDuffie with an injury. That set up a field goal. McDuffie would not return to the game.
Collins’ second deep catch took advantage of slow-footed Chiefs safety Mike Edwards. And it set up a touchdown.
The Texans aren’t nearly as good on a down-to-down basis, but they are able to strike with big chunks — the exact opposite way the Chiefs move the ball.
It’s not surprising Collins — nor CeeDee Lamb or George Pickens the week before — gave the Chiefs problems. Collins has the second-most catches and fourth-most yards in the league against press coverage this season, per Next Gen Stats.
The Chiefs play press coverage more frequently than any other team in the league.
4. The revolving door is back
The Chiefs spent this past offseason putting more free-agent dollars and their most prominent available draft capital into one position.
Left tackle.
For the second straight year, the Chiefs are now operating with their fourth-string option at one position.
Left tackle.
Wanya Morris, already the biggest liability on a makeshift offensive line, lasted all of one snap before leaving on a cart with a knee injury. In jogged Esa Pole, whose first career snaps came in a game lined up against Will Anderson Jr. (third in the NFL in pressures) and Danielle Hunter (seventh in the NFL in pressures).
And yet? It wasn’t the deciding factor.
The Texans’ defensive line certainly made some noise, but the anticipation of the Texans’ defensive line played a far bigger impact. The Chiefs operated with a narrow playbook in the first half, and their offensive line holding up just fine meant nothing because of it.
A year ago, the Chiefs arrived at their fourth option at left tackle because their first, second and third options didn’t cut it.
This time, they’ve arrived there because of injury luck. Or, well, bad injury luck.
5. Are the playoffs impossible now?
Well, not technically, but it’s a real longshot the Chiefs will make the postseason now.
The Chiefs didn’t technically control their destiny before the game either, but the models gave them between a 98-99% chance if they won their last five games.
Without it? They drop considerably, as you might guess.
The Chiefs will wake up Monday with somewhere between a 10-15% chance to reach the playoffs. They will need a lot of help, in other words. They could get there with some Colts losses — and that team is struggling, lost its quarterback and has the hardest remaining schedule in the NFL.
But they now trail the Texans. Chargers, Jaguars and Bills — all teams they could potentially be trying to leap — and they possess the tiebreaker against none of them.
And what evidence have the Chiefs provided of their capability to string together four wins, anyway?
This story was originally published December 7, 2025 at 10:41 PM.