Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) warms up before their preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Aug. 9, 2025. Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Chiefs Look To Continue To Dominate AFC Rival in 2025

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs, recovering from their embarrassing Super Bowl loss at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles, were given no grace from the NFL and have one of the toughest schedules in the league.

Specifically, the first half of their season is full of contenders and games that may slip away from the Chiefs. Combine this with an increasingly difficult division, and the Chiefs are at risk of losing their title of the AFC West Champions year in and year out.

Their streak of finishing number one in their division dates all the way back to 2016, and they've dominated the AFC West for nearly a decade. Thankfully, after their bye week in ten, their schedule lightens up a bit, and they face foes whom they should deal with handily.

Budding Rivalry?

The Chiefs will be at home, facing off against the Houston Texans in week 14, a team they have not lost against since 2019. CJ Stroud is 0 - 2, including regular season and playoffs, against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

Despite the Chiefs' dominance against the Texans, this late-season matchup may prove to be difficult for them, considering the uncertainty surrounding Rashee Rice's situation and the unknown duration of his suspension.

Rice may be sidelined for their matchup against the Texans, which will only make it easier for their defense to contain the Chiefs' offense. DeMeco Ryans will be more comfortable sending pressure if he knows that one of their top offensive weapons isn't even on the field.

What Should Be the Chiefs’ Game Plan?

In both instances, these teams met up last season; Rice wasn't available for the Chiefs. Yet, they won both of those games through different means. In the regular season, Mahomes threw for 260 yards and spread the ball to a lot of different players on offense.

During their matchup in the divisional round of the playoffs, the weather was much different, and Mahomes and Travis Kelce's connection shone through when offense was hard to come by. Other than some turnovers in their regular-season game, Stroud performed as well as one could hope against the Chiefs' defense.

In order for the Chiefs to continue to win against this AFC rival, I believe they should let the ball fly even if Rice isn't an option. The Texans have a scary defensive front, so running on that unit may be harder than taking their chances at Derek Stingley Jr. in coverage.

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This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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