The Kansas City Chiefs pulled ahead in the second half against the Houston Texans. Although the Texans won the stat sheet the Chiefs made vital plays on both offense and defense giving them the momentum and ultimately the win.
George Karlaftis was a major part of the Chiefs defense. Karlaftis had five tackles, four of them being solo tackles. Karlaftis also led the team with three sacks. His dominant force on the field made it hard for the Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud to complete passes or leave the pocket.
“He’s young, relentless, really dedicated to his craft,” Brett Veach when asked about Karlaftis’s first round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Despite the loss, the Houston Texans proved that they belonged to be in the playoffs. The Texans had nearly 100 more rushing yards and 25 more passing yards. Looking back on the game there were many times the Texans could have scored or changed the momentum, but it rarely happened.
However, the Texans inability to protect Stroud made it difficult to gain any momentum on offense. Stroud was sacked a total of eight times and seemed to have few targets to throw to.
The Chiefs have stars on their team, one of them being Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes was only sacked three times and was 16-of-25 passing. Kansas City’s tight end Travis Kelce had seven receptions for 117 yards. Chiefs fans could tell this wasn’t a normal game for these players. It was clear they weren’t playing for themselves; they were playing for their teammates.
“Playoff football is the most meaningful football that you’ll ever play in your life,” Kelce said in a post-game video shared on the Chiefs’ Instagram. “I cherish every single play, man. I really do. When you’re in it, you’re always trying to strive for greatness.”
Even though the Texans were not victorious they walk away from a great season. For a young team dealing with injuries the Texans had an impressive season. The Texans will likely build on their foundation for the future and be a force to reckon with next season.
With the win over the Texans, the Chiefs are one step closer to reaching their third consecutive Super Bowl. Over the past few years, the Chiefs have showed their ability to perform under pressure. Just this season they have won twelve games by eight points or less.
The Chiefs will be playing the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 26 in the AFC Championship. Last season the Chiefs defeated the Bills in the NFL Divisional Rounds 27-24.
The upcoming championship can be viewed on CBS or Paramount+.