Chiefs fighting for playoff lives against visiting Texans

Pressed to detail how 10 consecutive playoff berths, with three Super Bowl titles included in that stretch, could bolster the Kansas City Chiefs during these trying times, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was quick to acknowledge how these current circumstances are different.

The Chiefs (6-6) will host the Houston Texans on Sunday, likely needing a string of wins to keep their playoff streak alive. They are two games out of the playoff picture with both the Texans (7-5) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6, but ahead on tiebreakers) ahead of them in the standings. The scenario is bleak.

"I don't know if we've been in this situation this early in the season," Mahomes said. "I think just learning from it together, building together, and using what we can use from prior seasons to hopefully make a run at this thing and try to get ourselves into the playoffs and see where we can go from there.

"This will be a big game for us to showcase who we are and who we can be moving on the rest of the season."

Already facing an uphill climb, the Chiefs could be without three offensive linemen against the Texans' ferocious defensive front. Tackle Josh Simmons was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday after undergoing wrist surgery, putting his return this season in doubt. Guard Trey Smith (ankle) and tackle Jawaan Taylor triceps/knee) missed practice on Wednesday, absences that could force the Chiefs to dig even deeper into their depth chart.

Past success has always undergirded a positive approach in Kansas City. These dire circumstances have many questioning whether the Chiefs' dynastic run will end in the coming weeks.

"You're in the month of December, and you're still in it, so let's go," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "That's what's important.

"I'm big on reality. What's real? Why are we where we are (and) what can we do to fix that? That's what I look at and try to give the guys that so they have something to work on. Likewise, as a coach, that's how I look at it for myself and the coaches. Where are the problems, and let's work on fixing those."

The Texans, conversely, have rallied to within a game of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South. Their current four-game winning streak has flipped a season that opened with three consecutive losses, and buoyed by the NFL's top-ranked defense, Houston appears poised to maintain their upward trajectory entering the stretch run.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud returned from a three-game injury (concussion) absence to lead the Texans to a critical road win over the Colts last week. Following their ragged start to the season, things appear to have fallen into place. The timing for the Texans couldn't be better.

"The common thread for us winning is our players making the plays," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. "That's what it's all about. Our guys (have) done a great job of finding a way to make, whether that's special teams, offense, everybody stepping up, making a play when we need to make a play. That won't change this week as well. It's always going to be about the players, and that won't change."

-Field Level Media