Riding a 10-game winning streak into the postseason, the Chiefs look to put an end to their 22-year playoff drought. Kansas City has lost eight straight playoff games since knocking off the Houston Oilers in 1993.
The Texans have never lost a Wild Card game, winning both their chances at home.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Houston Texans +3
Kansas City Chiefs -3
Over/Under 40.5
ODDS ANALYSIS
Kansas City is just 1-3 ATS over its last four games, but the three cover losses all came at home. The Chiefs pounded it on the road over the second half of the season going 4-0 SU and ATS in their last four away games. KC opened the season with a 27-20 win at Houston as 1-point chalk and is 5-3 SU and ATS on the road. Houston was 3-0 SU and ATS in its last three games, all against AFC South opponents, and is the best of a mediocre bunch. The total fell a half-point to 40 while the line stayed at KC -3.
KEY INJURIES
Dee Ford - A starter the past five games at outside linebacker, he was being evaluated for a possible concussion following Sunday's win over Oakland. Ford was phenomenal playing for the injured Justin Houston. The Chiefs are hopeful to have Houston and Tamba Hali, who played 14 snaps on Sunday, back at close to full health.
Mitch Morse - Kansas City's starting center left Sunday's game in the fourth quarter with a concussion. His status for the playoff opener is unknown at this time. If Morse is unavailable, Zach Fulton would likely take his place.
Duane Brown - Houston's Pro Bowl left tackle suffered a torn quadriceps tendon Sunday and will undergo surgery this week. He's been the team's starter since he was drafted in 2008. Chris Clark is next up on the depth chart.
KEY MISMATCH
Kansas City's offensive line has been a mess all season and going against a defense that's playing as well as any in the league will certainly be challenging for the Chiefs. With the cast that impeded J.J. Watt's performance removed, Houston's Pro Bowl defensive end reminded everyone of his influence when healthy. Watt led an outstanding defensive effort and the Texans clinched their third AFC South title with an easy win over Jacksonville on Sunday. Opponents combined to score 22 points against the Texans over the last three games with the finale yielding the momentum they sought entering the postseason. With his cast removed, Watt was back to being his disruptive self with eight combined tackles, four quarterback hits, three sacks, two knocked down passes, a forced fumble and fumble recovery. The Texans found an effective pass rusher opposite Watt, and it isn't Jadeveon Clowney. Linebacker Whitney Mercilus finished with 3.5 sacks on Sunday to finish the season with a career-high 12. He joined Watt, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks, as the first teammates in Texans' history with 10-plus sacks in a season.
KEY STAT
+14 - Kansas City's turnover margin. The Chiefs finished second in the NFL in differential and were a plus-16 during their season-closing 10-game winning streak. The Texans were plus-5 in turnover margin for the year.
BETTING ANGLE
The Texans are a home dog, as well they should be. Kansas City is - on paper anyway - the most dangerous Wild Card team in the field. The Chiefs come in with 10 wins in a row and still somewhat under the radar. Most importantly, over the second half of the season, the Chiefs dominated teams when they played on the road. Their last four road trips produced a 20-point win in Baltimore on Dec. 20, a 14-point win at Oakland on Dec. 6, a 30-point win in San Diego on Nov. 22 and a 16-point win at Denver on Nov. 15. Kansas City trailed in just one of those four games - by seven points twice to the Raiders - and easily covered the spread in each one.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
For the first time in a month the Texans will play a team outside the weak AFC South and that has to be concerning. Houston played well down the stretch, winning seven of their last nine and three straight to end the regular season. But those three wins came against division foes and proved that the Texans are the best of a mediocre - at best - group. Kansas City will do what it has done all year. The Chiefs will take care of the football, they won't commit unnecessary penalties and they'll rely on the NFL's third-ranked scoring defense to limit Houston's chances. Houston's defense is solid as well, and should keep the Texans in the game, but in the end the Chiefs will make more plays on offense because they have the tools. Alex Smith will be efficient and the running game with Spencer Ware and Chardandrick West will keep the chains moving and neutralize Watt and Co. on the pass rush. The Chiefs opened the season with a win in Houston and they will end the Texans season the same way.
Kansas City 25, Houston 18
Need to fund your account before the big game but don't have your computer? No problem, BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don't miss out on getting paid because you couldn't bet, click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans will go down Saturday, January 9, 2016, at 4:35 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
