In a dramatic AFC playoff game, the Houston Texans suffered a 23-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, with many controversial decisions from the referees. The team showed an “us against all” spirit but could not overcome the difficulties and mistakes they caused.
The game started with a series of decisions that did not go in the Texans’ favor. On the very first play, Kris Boyd was called for improper conduct, which led to the Chiefs having an opportunity to attack from the red zone. Next, Will Anderson Jr. was called for a helmet-to-helmet collision with Patrick Mahomes, although he claimed that he only touched Mahomes’ chest.
Before the end of the first half, a holding by Shaq Mason cost C.J. Stroud a scoring chance. The Texans had to kick a field goal instead of having a field goal. Dalton Schultz was also penalized for offensive interference in the third quarter. The most important penalty, however, came when Mahomes slipped the ball at the end, leading to two Texans defenders being penalized for unnecessary contact.
Coach DeMeco Ryans acknowledged that the team made many self-inflicted mistakes and couldn’t blame the referees entirely. “We knew we were going to have a tough time, but we can’t make those mistakes,” Ryans said.
#### Notable Stats
According to ESPN, the Texans are the first team in playoff history to advance by more than 100 yards without committing a single foul and still lose. This shows the team’s great disappointment at not being able to take advantage.
#### The Future of Texans
Despite missing key players like Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell due to injury, Ryans did not want to use that as an excuse. He emphasized that the team needs to improve in many aspects, from special teams to defense and offense.
“We left the field disappointed. This game really hurt because we know we are a better team than what we showed today,” Ryans shared.
The Houston Texans will need to learn from this defeat and prepare better for next season. Fans hope that the team will come back stronger and not make the same mistakes again
