Chiefs vs Texans Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds and Picks
Kansas City Battles for AFC Top Seed
The Kansas City Chiefs are battling the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, and Cincinnati Bengals for the top seed in the AFC playoffs.
The Bills beat them head-to-head, so the Chiefs don’t have a large margin for error in this race. Their Sunday loss to the Bengals wiped away their lead in this push for a wild-card bye.
That would give them a valued week of rest and an automatic spot in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Chiefs complete a three-game road trip when they go to Houston this week to face the one-win Texans. Will the Chiefs cover a big line in the sportsbook, or are the Texans the play versus the NFL betting odds?
Let’s check the latest NFL odds, stats, injury reports, and NFL lines for the Chiefs vs Texans. We’ve plenty of Vegas NFL odds and NFL week 15 picks for you to consider.
Chiefs vs Texans Betting Lines
Chiefs Try to Find Stability, Reduce Mistakes
The Chiefs are 10-3 and are having a generally good season, but two of their losses are real puzzlers.
They still look like the Chiefs, the team quarterbacked by Patrick Mahomes, a singular talent who makes plays no one else is making in the NFL. However, they run into games and situations in which they make perplexing mistakes.
Tight end Travis Kelce was stripped of the football late in the loss to the Bengals, the game’s most critical play. That’s a turnover Kelce doesn’t ordinarily make.
Earlier in the season, the Chiefs lost to a very bad Indianapolis Colts team and simply delivered a clunker of a performance in which they couldn’t do anything right.
They have a tendency to play with their food and not perform with supreme focus. This is how they allowed an 18-point lead to slip away against the Bengals in last season’s AFC Championship Game.
Last week, we saw more of the same against the Denver Broncos, who had been listless before. The Chiefs should have had an easy day as the Broncos have just three wins on the season.
They led 27-0, then made a ton of mistakes and suffered a number of defensive breakdowns to allow the Broncos to get within six points late in the fourth quarter.
Those who bet online know that the Texans can be competitive here too, and possibly cover the spread.
Scoop on Free Play from the Locker Room
Texans Try to Make the Final, Key Play in Close Games
The Texans have only one win, and we saw why against the Dallas Cowboys. They intercepted Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott and had first and goal, leading 23-20, late in the fourth quarter, against the Cowboys.
They needed eight yards to essentially put away the game and still couldn’t do it. They fell short, turned it over on downs, and then Dallas drove 96 yards down the field to score the game-winning touchdown.
Houston played well for most of the game, but coach Lovie Smith’s team fell short when it really counted. The question is, did they over-exert themselves last week and will they be in a letdown spot this week?
They’re now without star running back Dameon Pierce, who is seventh in rushing yards and helps them control the game. They might be en route to a blowout loss here.
Chiefs vs Texans Game Injuries
Chiefs vs Texans Head to Head
The Chiefs lead the series 8-5, winning their most recent meeting 34-20 in 2020. Kansas City has not played a road game in Houston since 2017 when it won 42-34 over the Texans.
Chiefs vs Texans Game Information
- Game: Chiefs vs Texans
- Date/Time: Sunday, Dec. 18, 1:00 p.m. ET
- Location: NRG Stadium. Houston, TX
- Chiefs vs Texans Live stream: NFL Game Pass
Chiefs vs Texans Game Weather Conditions
The temperature should be 54 degrees and cloudy but dry if the roof is not closed. NRG Stadium has a retractable roof, which could be used for this game.
Chiefs vs Texans Picks & Prediction
Predicted Score: Chiefs 34, Texans 16
- Worth Betting on the Moneyline?
Not in isolation, but certainly as part of a parlay.
- Worth Betting ATS?
Yes. Kansas City led Denver by 27. It should be able to hammer Houston and run away with this game, covering the 14-point spread for your NFL picks.
- Worth Betting on the Totals?
No. Houston’s offense is a wild card. The Texans scored 23 against Dallas but can’t be relied on every week.
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
