Official Texans @ Chiefs Game Thread, 10/13/2019
 

The 3-2 Texans hit the road this Sunday to play an early game against the 4-1 Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs suffered their first loss of the year last week on SNF falling 19-13 to the Indianapolis Colts. The Chiefs are pretty banged up but still dangerous.

The Texans are coming off a 53-32 home win over the Atlanta Falcons. The Texans are in relatively good health and what appeared to be an "L" on the schedule at the start of the year is now an opportunity for them to spruce up there résumé.

I think this is going to be a close game and I have the Texans getting inside the number. Can they win? Sure, it's possible - but it could go either way. The Colts did it, why can't we? I have the Texans winning outright against a Chiefs team not at full strength.

Texans 31, Chiefs 30

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TV = CBS (channel 11 local), noon CST, Sunday, 10/13/2019

Announcers = Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

The line = Chiefs by 4 to 5

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Other Sunday viewing in the Houston area:

CBS (late) = Dallas @ NY Jets, Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX (late) = San Francisco @ LA Rams, Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth

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Prime time:

TNF = NY Giants @ New England (FOX/NFLN)

Sunday morning = Carolina vs Tampa Bay (in London) (NFLN; 8:30 AM CST)

SNF = Pittsburgh @ LA Chargers (NBC)

MNF = Detroit @ Green Bay (ESPN)

I'm picking the Texans in the suicide pool. I have been picking overwhelming favorites and already have two strikes, so, goodbye cruel world.

I'm undefeated in Suicide (I'm at the bottom in the Pick 'Em) so I'm taking the Dallas gimme against the Jets. I'm 1-4 on Thursday nights but I think the Patriots can handle themselves at home against the Giants. These aren't Eli's G-men anymore.

How the heck am I supposed to choose between Washington and Miami? Ditto Atlanta and Arizona? Carolina vs Tampa in London is another game you can't predict. I did notice Tampa is L-W-L-W-L this year which means they will probably win this week.

Back to Kansas City. Indy used those solid OL picks they've made and just blew KC off the ball while forcing Mahomes to limp around which limited his creativity. I don't think Houston can copy this formula so I expect the Chiefs to win handily.

Indy beat gimpy Mahomes with no Hill or Watkins. Half the league could have done the same.

Meh, a couple of good weeks in Pickem and you can be right back in it. You are keeping me out of last place. :p I too am 1-4 on Thursdays - I can't imagine anyone taking the Giants tomorrow..... One school of thought on the Thursday games is that the short week and travel for the visitor is tougher than on the home team. Not always the case so far this year.....

Whenever I have a hard time making up my mind on a pick I go seek out what other people are saying about the matchup. I use Walterfootball and SBR (Sportsbook Review). These and other handicappers may not be right with their pick but they can give you some data to mull over....

This is the Thursday night I'd really love to be wrong about my pick.

Pats have such a ridiculously easy schedule. They are a lock for 11 wins but will probably get more because well, they are good and have TB12 and BB. Their only struggle so far was a 16-10 win over the Bills. Their defense is putting up ridiculous numbers but it's hard to tell how good they are because they've played so many weak sisters.

Prepare for an onslaught of Pats and the steenkin' Cowboys to dominate prime time over the next 6 weeks or so. The Cowboys have two Sunday-nighters sandwiched around a Monday nighter coming up. The Pats start with tonight's TNF and have a MNF and SNF coming up. They will end with yet another SNF on Dec 1 against the Texans....

So, Week 8 game between Texans and Raiders gets moved from noon to 3:25 and will reach more viewers....

This schedule change is really good news mostly because Deshaun Watson is a completely better player more often the later in the day.

The viewership of the later game probably says as much about the Raiders being a little more watchable than anticipated.

...and the Broncos being a little less watchable. Denver suffers some of their worst defeats @ Indy historically. TBH, OAK @ HOU is a more interesting game. We tend to play the Raydahs well.

Gametime!

Texans win the toss and defer. Chiefs to receive. Chiefs bring it out to about the 20 but penalty on the Chiefs places the ball at about their 9.

Screen to Williams goes for big gainer, 52 yards. OB challenging that there was offensive PI (pick) during the play.....

Play stands.

2 penalties make if 1st and 25 at midfield.

On 3rd and 21, Mahomes hits Hill for the the 46-yard TD. Reid whiffs on the INT.

Chiefs 7, Texans 0

11:42 left in the 1st qtr.

Free play on an offsides by Mercilus allows Mahomes to find Tyreek Hill deep and through the hands of Reid for a 3rd-and-long TD.

Chiefs 7, Texans 0
11:42 1st

Taking the penalty after stopping the Chiefs on third down made me think twice.... it pushed the Chiefs into a 3rd-and-21 and out of field goal range, so probably an obvious decision. But against the Chiefs, getting them to fourth down and long field goal range kinda felt like a win.

Hyde fumbles on the Texans first play. Chiefs recover at the Texan 18.

Gotta minimize the damage. FG?

Chiefs have to settle for the FG. Butker good from 41.

Chiefs 10, Texans 0

10:19 left in the 1st qtr.

Fairbairn is good from 44 to get the Texans on the board.

Chiefs 10, Texans 3

5:46 left in the 1st qtr.

I haven't turned on the game yet but the NFL Red Zone channel seems to be locked into this game so I haven't missed much. I guess Mahomes keeps putting the Chiefs in the red zone so they must figure it's only a matter of time before he scores again.

Short pass to Williams goes for 14 yards and the TD for the Chiefs.

Chiefs 17, Texans 3

1:28 left in the 1st qtr.

Ian Eagle: ...and they make it look so easy

Imagine how much worse it would be if our guys didn't hold so often.

Romeo Crennel is getting completely pwned.

Terrible understanding of defending the screen pass and 10-yard cushions on receivers is just what the Chiefs offense wants.