Chiefs’ Next Foe: 4 Significant Factors Against Houston

That defense has driven the team’s rebound from an 0-3 start. Winners of four straight, the Texans (7-5) have won seven of their last nine, including a 20-16 triumph at Indianapolis on Sunday.

Houston punctuates a murderer’s row of five opponents that have included two top-five offenses (Indianapolis in Week 12, Dallas in Week 13) and two top-five defenses (Buffalo in Week 9, Denver in Week 11).

After the Texans’ win in Indianapolis, here are four factors of obvious importance if the Chiefs are going to keep their season from evaporating.

Kansas City has to move the ball with Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice

The Chiefs finished their Thanksgiving loss with two backup offensive tackles and a backup right guard. They might have the same lineup against the Texans’ top-ranked defense.

And despite that adversity, Kansas City has to find a way to move the ball because points will come at a steep premium.

One possibility is the intermediate passing game. Both Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice have excelled this season by taking high-percentage passes and gaining yards after the catch. That could be the secret to staying ahead of the chains on Sunday.

Chiefs must convert third downs

For 10 straight games, the Texans haven’t allowed an offense to convert better than 40 percent of their third downs. The Colts were just 3-for-10 on Sunday. Across the league, only the Broncos are allowing teams to convert at a lower rate (29.0 percent, entering their Sunday night game at Washington).

Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ offense just finished four November games by converting only 20 of 55 third downs (36.4 percent). A better showing against the Texans is imperative.

Special teams details are monumental

In Sunday’s 20-16 win, the Texans greatly benefitted from Michael Badgley’s missed PAT. After the Colts scored a touchdown to take a 6-3 lead in the second quarter, the kicker banged the ensuing kick off the left upright.

That miss was critical at the end of the game, because the Colts had to get a touchdown on their final drive rather than settling for a game-tying field goal to potentially send the contest to overtime.

Kansas City’s Harrison Butker has now connected on 17 of his last 18 kicks, his only miss a blocked PAT in the 22-19 loss at Denver on Nov. 16. On that kick, special teams coordinator Dave Toub said, the only mistake was pressure allowed through the left side of the line and wasn’t related to Butker.

The Chiefs’ kicker also has converted 12 consecutive field-goal attempts, dating to Sept. 28 against Baltimore.

Pressure on C.J. Stroud

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud returned to start Sunday’s win after missing three straight games with a concussion. And the number that matters most with regard to Stroud is 230.

When the quarterback passes for at least 230 yards this year, the Texans are 4-0. He hit 276 in Sunday’s win at Indianapolis. When he’s under 230, Houston is 0-5.

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