The last time the Kansas City Chiefs hosted a home playoff game, it ended up being one of the coldest in NFL history with a starting temperature of -4 degrees. Although things won’t be so cold on Saturday, it will be freezing when the Chiefs host the Houston Texans to kick off the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
According to Accuweather, the maximum temperature on Saturday is expected to be around 25 degrees. However, that temperature is expected to drop to 20 degrees by the time the game begins at 3:30 p.m. CT (4:30 p.m. ET) and the wind chill is expected to be around 7 degrees thanks to an arctic blast that has been triggered. to hit the region on Saturday.
If the temperature dropped to 20 degrees before kickoff, it would make it the third coldest game in franchise history for Houston. In December 2008, the Texans played Green Bay in a game with only 3 degrees at kickoff. In 2004, they played Chicago in a game where it was 12 degrees at kickoff. Surprisingly, the Texans won both games.
That being said, CJ Stroud struggled in the cold weather. The Texans quarterback has played two career games where the temperature was 30 degrees or colder and he went 0-2 in those games.
Here’s a look at Stroud’s performance in each game:
- NFL Divisional Playoffs: January 20, 2024 (27 degrees) – Ravens 34-10 against Texans. Stroud went 19 of 33 for 175 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions.
- Week 16: December 21, 2024 (30 degrees) — Chiefs 27-19 against Texans. In that game, Stroud went 23 of 39 with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
As for the Chiefs, they probably won’t be intimidated by the cold. Last season, they beat the Dolphins 26-7 in what was the the fourth coldest game in NFL history. Patrick Mahomes is also 9-1 in his last 10 starts where the temperature was 30 degrees or colder.
Although Mahomes won’t be bothered by the weather, it could be a tough day for the kickers. At this time, it is estimated that there could be wind gusts of up to 27 mph during the game, which could create problems for both Kansas City’s Harrison Butker and Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn , and the Texan kicker could have even more problems since he is used to kicking. inside. Fairbairn, who has made 36 of 42 field goal attempts this year, has only missed four field goals for 55 yards and during the 2024 season. However, three of those four kicks have been on the outside.