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AFC Divisional Playoff Round; Houston Texans vs Kansas City Chiefs - Game Thread

amazing80 said:
Yup. As of now I’m all in on Tyler Warren from Penn State. We need a dynamic playmaker at that position.
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Yep, look at the playoff game stat lines this week. Nobody has a full stable of studs. Mahomes only had 4 players register a catch in our game. His “receivers”:

RECYDSAVGTDLONGTGTS
711716.71498
5459.00216
3134.3063
122.0021


Juju, Hopkins and Hollywood Brown sound great as ancillary options in the passing game.

If the Texans get a comparable lineup to replace the Metchie/Hutchinson reserves we’d be talking 5,6 7 headed monster all offseason!

They all registered goose eggs but the Chiefs still won.
 
TheRealJoker V2 said:
Having a WR that can run by the defense is nice playing at NRG but there is no better lockdown CB in the league than mother nature. Short passing game and running game is where this team needs to focus.
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When I’m thinking about WR needs I’m primarily thinking about a slot WR.
 
TheRealJoker V2 said:
Then the route combos need to be addressed. Keep Slowik, teach Slowik, whatever you do you shouldn’t have targets running to the same area as often as this team does.

And when you fix these problems C.J. needs to raise his
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I have to believe nobody draws up route combinations where receivers end up in the same area. 80-90% of the plays we see on Sunday are NFL canon. Not much is new.

First place to look for “error” imo, is WR. Either they ran the wrong route, read the defense wrong, or heard the wrong play. Then I’m thinking it’s on the QB. Either he was thinking the wrong route, read the defense wrong, or called the wrong route.
 
IF the Texans had a healthy Dell and Diggs, and at least a somewhat functional o-line, the Texans can stand with pretty much anyone with our defense. We don't, so we didn't. While refs do favor certain teams, those teams can still be beat. I think it's bullshit to blame our loss on the refs. This is NOT saying the refs didn't make calls that went KC's way, they did. The Texans lost because they couldn't muster up the points.

The Texans are almost, but not quite, ready for prime time. Let's see what happens this offseason. Next year is always a new year.
 
TheRealJoker V2 said:
I’m looking at the teams the Texans have to beat to get over the hump: Chiefs, Ravens and Bills.

If i’m Nick/DeMeco I am spending my offseason building a team that can beat them in January. All those teams play outdoors, likely going to have to play in bad weather to get to the big dance.

So what does this team need?

I hear the comments about WRs but to me TE is a bigger need. We need TEs that can block AND we need passing game weapons for CJ. I think improving at TE is better value if you want to win a bad weather game in January.

Having a WR that can run by the defense is nice playing at NRG but there is no better lockdown CB in the league than mother nature. Short passing game and running game is where this team needs to focus.

Obviously OL needs to improve. Interior OL specifically and OL coach needs to change.

Then the route combos need to be addressed. Keep Slowik, teach Slowik, whatever you do you shouldn’t have targets running to the same area as often as this team does.

And when you fix these problems C.J. needs to raise his level of play to an MVP level like Mahomes, Allen and Jackson. Nothing else matters if he can’t make the players around him better.

The other 3 QBs do that. They throw to JAG players the team can upgrade as well. They don’t make a lot of Nicos so gotta elevate the Metchies of the world that will get targets.

If a Khalil Shakir or Rashod Bateman are good enough for Allen and Jackson then a comparable talent should be good enough for C.J.
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I agree to a point, but my goal is the other side of that coin...if you handle business during the season then you don't have to worry about Mother Nature b/c those teams will be visiting us during that time of year at NRG Pkwy, Houston, TX 77054.

Your target areas are correct (OL and skill player upgrades/additions). But even bigger is the correct usage of said players and the ability to combat what defenses do. That is what worries me about Slowik and is probably one of the most frustrating things about the offense, IMO.
 
KoolAid Sipper said:
I agree to a point, but my goal is the other side of that coin...if you handle business during the season then you don't have to worry about Mother Nature b/c those teams will be visiting us during that time of year at NRG Pkwy, Houston, TX 77054.

Your target areas are correct (OL and skill player upgrades/additions). But even bigger is the correct usage of said players and the ability to combat what defenses do. That is what worries me about Slowik and is probably one of the most frustrating things about the offense, IMO.
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You have to beat those teams to get to the 1 seed. This team is lucky they play in the AFC South and can look towards playing the big boys now with their dance card basically punched while the core is here.

But a lot has to go right in an NFL season to get the 1 seed and guarantee you wont have to deal with the weather. Including beating said top teams.
 
Thorn said:
IF the Texans had a healthy Dell and Diggs, and at least a somewhat functional o-line, the Texans can stand with pretty much anyone with our defense. We don't, so we didn't. While refs do favor certain teams, those teams can still be beat. I think it's bullshit to blame our loss on the refs. This is NOT saying the refs didn't make calls that went KC's way, they did. The Texans lost because they couldn't muster up the points.

The Texans are almost, but not quite, ready for prime time. Let's see what happens this offseason. Next year is always a new year.
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Agreed. The Texans did a lot of shooting Texans feet.


But I like blaming the man.
 
KoolAid Sipper said:
That is what worries me about Slowik and is probably one of the most frustrating things about the offense, IMO
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I hear you, but we have to trust DeMeco & the process. I’m not going to say I see improvement in our offense over the last two seasons, but we have to remember Kyle Shanahan, who had his dad with him, struggled 4 years in Washington with the success or lack thereof a QB.

We got Cj.

DeMeco knows how to win. He knows how to coach. Let’s hope, we have every reason to believe, he knows how to pick good coaches, develop good coaches, & let bad coaches go if he has to.
 
TheRealJoker V2 said:
You have to beat those teams to get to the 1 seed. This team is lucky they play in the AFC South and can look towards playing the big boys now with their dance card basically punched while the core is here.

But a lot has to go right in an NFL season to get the 1 seed and guarantee you wont have to deal with the weather. Including beating said top teams.
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I know the Chiefs had help, but they also had another gear which they turned on in the 4th qtr of our game.

I’d love home field advantage throughout, but I’d much rather have that extra gear.
 
thunderkyss said:
I know the Chiefs had help, but they also had another gear which they turned on in the 4th qtr of our game.

I’d love home field advantage throughout, but I’d much rather have that extra gear.
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It helped Slowik called 19 passes and 1 run the last 20 plays of the game allowing Spags to send his defense hunting for 5 sacks when Slowik abandoned the run game prematurely.
 
steelbtexan said:
You keep telling yourself this.

I'm certainly not going to change your mind.

Rams vs Saints NFCCG, Google that game up and get back with me.
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Why do you continue to watch a sport that is rampant with corruption? Based on your participation on this forum you don't fully buy into what you are saying. Your example doesn't show that the players are in on the fix. What it does show is what I have acknowledged and that is that the referees many times do all they can to get the desired outcome of a game both in terms of winning and losing and betting odds. I just think that with the speed, physicality and all the moving parts of football that it is very hard for most of the players to be in on a fix. Our coaches and players and other teams coaches and players would not be upset about the referees and the way they call the games if all the players were in on some kind of fix. Sometimes the referees desired outcome plays out, There is no doubt that in many games it appears the referees are corrupt. They try not to be so obvious but in examples like the one you gave it is hard to ignore the corruption. Still I find it hard to believe there is an all out conspiracy when it comes to fixing games. Sure there are referees who are paid to call games for a desired outcome but no matter how they call games there is no way to assure they will get their way. Some calls are just poor judgement calls and can't be chalked up to corruption. I still feel the better share of games are fair and therefore I watch football games and root for my favorite teams. Based on your participation on this forum you don't fully buy into some league wide conspiracy.
 
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TxnsJuggernaut1 said:
Why do you continue to watch a sport that is rampant with corruption? Based on your participation on this forum you don't fully buy into what you are saying.
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Because

1. I love watching football and seeing players develop from high school to college to the pro's. Example : I'm a Horns fan and I want to see how Barron/Banks/Blue/Golden/Mukuba/Helm/Majors etc.. translate to the NFL. Even how a guy I really like but is very green will turnout as a pro (TCU's Savion Williams)

2. I enjoy the back and forth between MB members and the friendships that have developed over the yrs, that extend much further than our MB experiences.
 
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TheRealJoker V2 said:
I’m looking at the teams the Texans have to beat to get over the hump: Chiefs, Ravens and Bills.

If i’m Nick/DeMeco I am spending my offseason building a team that can beat them in January. All those teams play outdoors, likely going to have to play in bad weather to get to the big dance.

So what does this team need?

I hear the comments about WRs but to me TE is a bigger need. We need TEs that can block AND we need passing game weapons for CJ. I think improving at TE is better value if you want to win a bad weather game in January.

Having a WR that can run by the defense is nice playing at NRG but there is no better lockdown CB in the league than mother nature. Short passing game and running game is where this team needs to focus.

Obviously OL needs to improve. Interior OL specifically and OL coach needs to change.

Then the route combos need to be addressed. Keep Slowik, teach Slowik, whatever you do you shouldn’t have targets running to the same area as often as this team does.

And when you fix these problems C.J. needs to raise his level of play to an MVP level like Mahomes, Allen and Jackson. Nothing else matters if he can’t make the players around him better.

The other 3 QBs do that. They throw to JAG players the team can upgrade as well. They don’t make a lot of Nicos so gotta elevate the Metchies of the world that will get targets.

If a Khalil Shakir or Rashod Bateman are good enough for Allen and Jackson then a comparable talent should be good enough for C.J.
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Agreed about the need for a TE.

Notice how receivers weren't running into each other much when Diggs was in the lineup. The Slot guy/TE makes a huge difference in not having guys running together on routes.

Total agreement about the OL and Caserio needs to bring in a new OL coach (Munchak is my guy) bring in a talented vet C or OG even if they have to overpay. Draft a guy either high (1st rd) or a talented gem that's underrated in the 3rd rd range. (Guys like Charles Grant, Dylan Fairchild/Anthony Belton are guys I like.)

Did you know that Bateman was a 1st rd pick?
 
amazing80 said:
Yup. As of now I’m all in on Tyler Warren from Penn State. We need a dynamic playmaker at that position.
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Would be a great pick, in fact I put him in the 1st rd in my Steel B's 1.0 mock.

If given the choice between Tre Harris in the 1st and Harold Fannin Jr. in the 2nd or Terrance Ferguson in the 4th, give me option B. I'm just as high on Harris as I am on Warren. I had seen Ferguson play, but when Beerlover told me he liked Ferguson more in the 3rd/4th than Warren in the 1st, I started to look at Ferguson deeper and I really like him. Helm would be an upgrade too.
 
Hervoyel said:
Chiefs OL is far and away better than the Texans. Mahommes was sacked what? 36 times this year? CJ sacked 52 times? The lines aren't even close.
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Not because their OL is good. Mahomes gets the ball out quick, their OL isn't called for holding & their RT is given a free pass to line up as far back as he wants & start early as often as he wants.
 
thunderkyss said:
I know the Chiefs had help, but they also had another gear which they turned on in the 4th qtr of our game.

I’d love home field advantage throughout, but I’d much rather have that extra gear.
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That gear the Chiefs had was made possible because of the way the referees called the game. They didn't solely impact the game but they for sure gave the Chiefs a momentum boost and they took away any momentum we had on several occasions. It's hard to overcome big plays that are consistently negated by calls that go against your team no matter how good your team is. It's also hard to overcome ignored calls like obvious holding. Meanwhile they teed off on our Qb knowing that our guys couldn't get away with holding calls. There was no doubt the referees did everything they could to affect the outcome of the game and it definitely played a role in the outcome.

What really pisses me off is the BS that the announcers said in interviews where they asked if the Chiefs might be a little rusty due to a bye week. As if to say the game was too competitive playing against a team like ours. With them knowing about the BS way the game was officiated. Our team had that extra gear to start the game but that was quickly taken away from us and given to them. The funny thing is normally a buy week is supposed to be a reward for having been a top seed but when we are dealing with history and the Chiefs a bye week hurts them? I don't think most of the players in the NFL are corrupt but there is no doubt in my mind the officiating in many games such as this one is for sure corrupt.
 
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TxnsJuggernaut1 said:
That gear the Chiefs had was made possible because of the way the referees called the game
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No

I'm talking about that gear that had Kareem Hunt & Pacheco running over the strength of our defense. That's an act of the will. If our guys were deflated because of the refs, that's a character flaw they can correct.

I'm talking about that TD pass to Kelce when Mahomes was laid horizontal from getting hit as he threw the ball.

A refusal to lose & determination to put another nail in the coffin.

A killer instinct we don't have in the regular season much less in the playoffs.
 
TxnsJuggernaut1 said:
Games can't be rigged. There is no way with the speed and physicality of most games that everything can fall into place for the odds makers. Referees can try to dictate that games fit into the odds but most of the players themselves simply play to win. This given video shows a player taking advantage of a chance to fix the score but in no way can the players all play a part as if in a play to please odds makers. Far too many games don't fit into what the odds makers would like to dictate. Outside of basketball and point shaving and boxing where boxers can fix fights it is hard to fix most sports. Referees can try to make phantom calls in order to try to get the desired outcome but even with that happening it is hard to fix any sport. Odds are wrong far too often for there to be a fix or for games to be rigged.
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It isn’t rigged in the sense the game has a script like wrestling and you play it out that way. The players DO get out on that field and play to win. They aren’t the ones “rigging” games. And when they DO make a play like the Texans did to get off the field but a very questionable roughing call gives a QB like Mahomes a second chance, that’s playing with fire. You’re looking at a potential 6-10 point swing there and that does make a difference.

Missed tackles and blown assignments are some of the many things throughout the entirety of a game that goes into winning or losing, but don’t act like giving a QB of Mahomes caliber extended life doesn’t go into it as well. Whether that’s something legit you have control over, or some bullshit call you don’t control.

Add to that the outside influences there for the NFL and TV execs to take advantage of, and that only adds to the distrust.

I hope Buffalo beats their ass next week and maybe that restores what little faith I have left, but until then, my belief that’s it’s a fair playing field is at an all time low.
 
steelbtexan said:
It's rigged

Dont ever let one person steal your love of the game.

I'm with you on not watching nearly as much football as I used too because of crap like yesterday. Sad thing is I called what this game would look like before it started. It's rigged.
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Ooops, didn’t mean to quote this one.
steelbtexan said:
A 3rd down RB is a big need this off-season.
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Joe Mixon says hello.

TheRealJoker V2 said:
a Khalil Shakir or Rashod Bateman are good enough for Allen and Jackson then a comparable talent should be good enough for C.J.
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A healthy Tank Dell says hello
 
Hoegarden said:
Also Boyd should be taking a bus back to Houston
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paycheck71 said:
Why would he continue to block a DE with a TE, especially a TE that everybody knows can't block
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Because that's what the play calls for. I don't think Slowik is experienced enough to effectively adjust his play calling.
Boyd apologized for his actions. Said he got too emotional. He thought he made a game changing play. He did, but not the one he thought he made.
 
Speedy said:
It isn’t rigged in the sense the game has a script like wrestling and you play it out that way. The players DO get out on that field and play to win. They aren’t the ones “rigging” games. And when they DO make a play like the Texans did to get off the field but a very questionable roughing call gives a QB like Mahomes a second chance, that’s playing with fire. You’re looking at a potential 6-10 point swing there and that does make a difference.

Missed tackles and blown assignments are some of the many things throughout the entirety of a game that goes into winning or losing, but don’t act like giving a QB of Mahomes caliber extended life doesn’t go into it as well. Whether that’s something legit you have control over, or some bullshit call you don’t control.

Add to that the outside influences there for the NFL and TV execs to take advantage of, and that only adds to the distrust.

I hope Buffalo beats their ass next week and maybe that restores what little faith I have left, but until then, my belief that’s it’s a fair playing field is at an all time low.
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You didn't contradict anything I said. I agree with you. It is the officiating that is corrupt and it does make it hard to root for a team that the NFL doesn't favor. If you reread a few more of my post you see where I called into question the officiating. Some people don't go into enough detail when they say the games are rigged and they give the impression that games are scripted. Thus the comments I have made as it pertains to such possible thinking on the part of those saying games are rigged. Games are controlled but I wouldn't say they are all in all rigged. To say they are rigged makes it seem everybody is in on the outcome of games when we all know that is not the case,
 
thunderkyss said:
No

I'm talking about that gear that had Kareem Hunt & Pacheco running over the strength of our defense. That's an act of the will. If our guys were deflated because of the refs, that's a character flaw they can correct.

I'm talking about that TD pass to Kelce when Mahomes was laid horizontal from getting hit as he threw the ball.

A refusal to lose & determination to put another nail in the coffin.

A killer instinct we don't have in the regular season much less in the playoffs.
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I agree, However it was us controlling the game by force of will early. Bogus calls like the inadvertent helmet to helmet call are the type of calls that give that extra act of will type of momentum to teams like the Chiefs, Not only that but if holding calls against the Chiefs are appropriately called they would lose a lot of yardage on penalties or give up as many or more sacks than we did. Perhaps it is a character flaw on the part of our team but a lot of teams would be the same as we were. That is why referees are emboldened to make bogus calls or ignore what should be penalties that favor their chosen team.
 
TxnsJuggernaut1 said:
I agree, However it was us controlling the game by force of will early. Bogus calls like the inadvertent helmet to helmet call are the type of calls that give that extra act of will type of momentum to teams like the Chiefs, Not only that but if holding calls against the Chiefs are appropriately called they would lose a lot of yardage on penalties or give up as many or more sacks than we did. Perhaps it is a character flaw on the part of our team but a lot of teams would be the same as we were. That is why referees are emboldened to make bogus calls or ignore what should be penalties that favor their chosen team.
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The officiating is something for DeMeco, Nick, & Cal to address before & after the game, & during the offseason. During the game our players have to overcome whatever is in their way.

Yes, the road to the Super Bowl is easier for some teams. That wasn't always true for the Chiefs. Even the Pat Mahomes led Chiefs.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
#Chiefs sacked #Texans C.J. Stroud eight times while pressuring him 21 of 41 dropbacks 51.2%. On 17 blitzes, had 12 pressures, including 8 from unblocked pass rushers
@NextGenStats
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It didn't start out bad. Those 20 drop backs where CJ had time was in the early going of the game. When the game started CJ had plenty of time the throw the football but nobody got open near enough. Had the referees called a more even game Pat Mahomes would have been sacked and pressured as much as CJ was or more. Yes our guys should have overcame the poor officiating but a lot of teams would not have thus the referees know they can affect the outcome of football games.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Stroud in that game had a Passer Rating of 95.1 and a QBR of 65.7. LINK
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TxnsJuggernaut1 said:
It didn't start out bad. Those 20 drop backs where CJ had time was in the early going of the game. When the game started CJ had plenty of time the throw the football but nobody got open near enough. Had the referees called a more even game Pat Mahomes would have been sacked and pressured as much as CJ was or more. Yes our guys should have overcame the poor officiating but a lot of teams would not have thus the referees know they can affect the outcome of football games.
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Yea 0K the refs made some calls that cearly favored MaHomes and therefor the Chiefs but I don't think that the refs are on the take, think the game was rigged or fixed.
There's so much pressure from the league and owners to protect their QBs, and MaHomes
being the #1, the most valuable QB in the NFL and one of the most popular players, refs are
giving him every beneifit of the doubt.
But obviously teams who play the Chiefs & MAHomes are still getting screwed, ie., our great young edge rusher Will Anderson got the shaft when he sacked MaHomes and they thru a flag in what was clean tackle/sack.
Full disclosure here. Some of you may know I'm a Chiefs fan from the KC area, but for many years, actually decades, I've pulled for the Texans over the Chiefs when they met. And yes I
certainly admit the Texans got hosed on those calls involving MaHmes and they were critical.
 
IDEXAN said:
There's so much pressure from the league and owners to protect their QBs, and MaHomes
being the #1, the most valuable QB in the NFL and one of the most popular players, refs are giving him every beneifit of the doubt.
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I'm not buying it. As long as Taylor Swift & whatever pop princess she brings to that clubhouse shows up, the NFL is going to get their ratings. Mahomes can miss a couple of games.

The shear fact that he might get hurt & hundreds of thousands hearts will stop is enough drama to not get overly protective.
 
IDEXAN said:
Yea 0K the refs made some calls that clearly favored Mahomes and therefor the Chiefs but I don't think that the refs are on the take, think the game was rigged or fixed.
There's so much pressure from the league and owners to protect their QBs, and Mahomes
being the #1, the most valuable QB in the NFL and one of the most popular players, refs are
giving him every benefit of the doubt.
But obviously teams who play the Chiefs & Mahomes are still getting screwed, ie., our great young edge rusher Will Anderson got the shaft when he sacked Mahomes and they thru a flag in what was clean tackle/sack.
Full disclosure here. Some of you may know I'm a Chiefs fan from the KC area, but for many years, actually decades, I've pulled for the Texans over the Chiefs when they met. And yes I
certainly admit the Texans got hosed on those calls involving Mahomes and they were critical.
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I agree with you in regards to the refs not being on the take. I don't think any game is fixed or rigged however it does seem at times that the referees are more sensitive to some teams than others. I don't think they intentionally go into these games trying to call a one sided game. However there is certainly a bias many times that clearly favors one team over another where one teams penalties stand out more to the referees than another teams do.
 
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DocBar said:
www.nytimes.com

Sick of Patrick Mahomes drawing penalties? You’re hardly the only one

No, the refs aren't rigging games for the Chiefs, but Mahomes is clearly manipulating the league's QB-friendly rules.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

Mahomes is 25-0 with 8 referees. 7-0 with the guy who called last Saturday's game. Things that make you go WTF?!?!?!
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Clete Blakeman, with whom Mahomes has his second-worst win percentage, has been assigned to Sunday’s AFC Championship Game between the Bills and Chiefs.
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Let's see how this goes... Not that it's going to make me feel any better about the calls vs the Texans.
 
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