Chiefs vs. Texans Game: Where to Watch & Stream NFL Playoffs, Time, Streaming Options, Predictions, Odds

Neither the Houston Texans nor the Kansas City Chiefs looked like offensive heavyweights during the 2024 NFL season, but that didn’t stop them from advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs. Houston beat the Los Angeles Chargers in an upset featuring DeMeco Ryans’ tenacious defense flexing its muscles, while Kansas City enjoyed a first-round bye after a 15-2 run fueled by crucial heroics.

Now, nearly a month after facing off in Week 16 at Arrowhead Stadium – an eight-point Chiefs victory – the AFC contenders are set to face off again, this time with all in play. Will CJ Stroud step up on the road to surprise the Texans once again in January, or are Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and Co. poised to win their seventh straight AFC championship with a breakthrough explosive on their land?

Kansas City enters bye with its starters getting two weeks off. Houston remains behind several offensive playmakers, but could well be hitting its stride given the way it beat Los Angeles a week ago. No matter how it plays out, this game is a must-win to kick off the divisional round of the playoffs. Don’t miss our CBS Sports experts NFL Playoff Predictions for all four games this weekend.

How can you tune in to watch the Chiefs vs. Texans? Which player matchups are the most crucial? Who is ready to walk away with victory? Let’s take a look.

Chiefs vs Texans where to watch

Date: Saturday January 18 | Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Missouri)
TV: ESPN | Flow: fubo (try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports app
Odds: Chiefs -8.5, O/U 41.5 (SportsLine consensus)

Key questions for Chiefs vs. Texans

• Should the Chiefs have an offensive breakthrough? All year, Mahomes has endured something of a makeshift supporting cast, with veterans like Rashee Rice, Isiah Pacheco and Marquise Brown coming out with serious injuries. Now, not only will the three-time champion have Pacheco and Brown fully healthy, but he will enter with two full weeks of rest after the Chiefs rested the starters in Week 18 and then spent Wild Card Weekend watching other matches. Their offensive attack might finally be ready for big plays.
• Can the Texans establish the run? Stroud has been a much more mercurial passer this year thanks in part to injuries and inconsistency both up front and outside, which has made Joe Mixon a surprisingly important ingredient when Houston has the ball. The only potential problem for the Texans, a week after Mixon had 25 carries against Los Angeles: The Chiefs boast a top-10 run defense under Steve Spagnuolo, threatening Houston’s chances of controlling the ball and the stopwatch.
• Can Ryans defense release the ball? Once again, the Texans’ recipe for victory of late has been defensive dominance; they recorded 29 total points, the fourth most in the NFL, before opening the playoffs, and star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. tortured Justin Herbert in the wild-card round. Mahomes, meanwhile, has significantly improved his ball security through the air in the second half of the 2024 campaign, throwing 18 touchdowns against just two picks over his last nine starts.

Prediction

Houston trampled on expectations in the wild-card round, edging out the Chargers to command more respect ahead of a rematch with the defending champions. And we have no doubt that Ryans’ front, in particular, can scramble things for Mahomes, with Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. headlining a unit that pressures opposing quarterbacks for nearly 38 % of declines.

The Texans’ offense, however, was overly reliant on Nico Collins’ splash shooting, as well as Mixon’s big releases, during a tough year for Stroud, whose dynamism as a pocket passer was the main reason of Houston’s more enticing playoff bid one season. There is. The Chiefs, on the other hand, benefit from extra rest on their home field, and they have been almost undeniable in the games that really matter, with Mahomes posting a remarkable 15-3 career record in the playoffs. How can you bet against that?

Prediction: Chiefs 28, Texans 20