The Good, Bad, & Ugly From Texans' 20-10 Win vs. Chiefs

It was another night of the Texans' defense running the show, and against such a potent offense like the Chiefs have the capability of being, Houston did an incredible job of taking the ball out of Patrick Mahomes' hands; giving him perhaps some of his biggest fits of the season thus far.

Jalen Pitre put together the first takeaway in the first half for an interception via defelection that took the life out of a big Chiefs drive. Kamari Lassiter then contributed on his behalf for a pick at the top of the fourth quarter with a tie game, and team captain linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair claimed the dropped pass intended for Travis Kelce in the end that cemented a Texans fifth-straight victory.

Winning the turnover margin can oftentimes be the defining factor for games in the NFL, and in Arrowhead, the Texans capitalized on those against an offense that's been a consistent force in recent years

If they can pick apart this group and take away the ball on three separate occasions, they have the chance to take apart anyone.

The Bad: Penalty Issues Continue

The Texans and Chiefs both came into the night as top-ten penalized teams in the NFL, and as the action unfolded on Sunday night, Houston turned out to be the more undisciplined team of the two— especially when it came to calls that fell upon the offensive line, especially in the first half.

The Texans had an illegal shift and an offensive offsides in the first quarter that kept a touchdown out of reach on their second drive, and had a tough false start from Aireontae Ersery at the end of the second quarter that set C.J. Stroud and Co. back from putting some late points on the board.

In all, it was eight penalties for 59 yards on Houston's part, which is a bit improved from some of their previous outings, but as the margins get thinner in the final stretch of this season, there are moments where those penalties can be the difference.

Ensuring those flags keep to a minimum will be key for DeMeco Ryans' group moving forward to keep their postseason hopes alive and well.

The Ugly: Houston's Rushing Efficiency

On one hand, the Texans were able to show more of a commitment to the run game than they have throughout really the entire season, rolling out Woody Marks for his highest mark of carries on the year with 26 touches in the backfield compared to two other touches from other backs.

But while that emphasis on the run game was strong, the efficiency in those touches wasn't quite there for Marks. The rookie ran for a total of 68 yards on the night for 2.6 yards per carry; his third-lowest yards/carry in a game that he's logged 10-plus touches.

Thankfully, Marks' effectiveness as a receiver still allowed him to get a score on the board, even with a limited day in the backfield.

Yet, as the season gets deeper and the run game becomes even more vital, the Texans will have to squeeze a bit more out of the run if they want to be the late season dark horse they're talked up to be. C.J. Stroud was solid through the air, but relying on him too much could become a bit troublesome if the run game doesn't pose much of a threat.

Having the explosive talent of Woody Marks in the backfield helps bring the optimism that step forward for the run game can come in due time. But with four weeks left to go in the regular season, that production will have to find its consistency sooner rather than later.