FIRST TAKE | Texans D is REAL problem to Mahomes – Stephen A. warns Chiefs miss playoffs if lose

FIRST TAKE | Texans D is REAL problem to Mahomes – Stephen A. warns Chiefs miss playoffs if lose

You know, you like historical references, but in recent history, it’s hard for you to come off the Chiefs, right? It there is something when you when you utter that this team is not going to make the playoffs, you sound like a fool, even in the position that they’re sitting in right now. But mad dog, I don’t think it’s just about them hitting another gear. I don’t know if they have it. I don’t know if they have that gear that we saw them have. And look, they won all of these one-score games last year. They lost these one-score games this year, which is why they in this position. It’s not like the Chiefs aren’t competitive. It’s not like they don’t have a chance to win a lot of these games. They haven’t finished football games this year. And the problem with the Houston Texans and trying to finish against them is, have you seen that defense? Oh, I got a very good defense. And look, it’s ferocious. It is. It is. It It is unbelievable the way that they’re playing defense. Problem I have with the Chiefs is they’re not the same on defense. Well, yes. On defense. Well, yes, they’re third and last. That’s my That’s my issue. And that’s why I don’t think they run the problem. That’s not mine. If anybody can pull it off, it’s Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. But I don’t I’m not here to say I can’t say they going to beat the Texans this weekend. What is it about the Texans? They can send for I’ve seen them send three at quarterbacks and get to them. Three. Not even four. And I’m looking at the Chiefs right now. Trey Smith, offensive line. Trey Smith out. Josh Simmon is out. Dwan Taylor out. You got cats that are out. When we seen Patrick Mahomes, humbled if not crushed. Super Bowl versus Tampa. Offensive line. Super Bowl versus Philly. Yep. And this year, what? Same problem. Offensive line. That seems to be the one thing that Andy Reeds is illquipped to overcome. Y it just is just just that. It’s just that way. And then you’re not running the football. You’re not even trying to run the football half the time now. Okay. Against Houston, this defense, you got Patrick Mahomes back there and we going to send we going to send folks for you. And Travis Kelce, we listen, he hasn’t announced it or anything, but we all expect this to be it for him. We expect this to be his last year because Travis Kelce isn’t what he used to be. Still damn good. Used to future Hall of Famer, three-time champion, nothing but love for him. But father time is undefeated. We’re not saying he’s not good. We’re saying he’s not what he used to be. The impact they need. If there was ever a time when you needed to be what you used to be, it’s against this Houston defense. These brothers are something special. I haven’t seen a defense in the modern era like this, the way these brothers hunt. And to be in a situation where your offensive line, not one, not two, but three different dudes out against them. I I listen I Houston’s gonna tell me more so than Kansas City. I’m looking at Houston because I have total faith in their defense. The question is going to be what CJ Strider and that office going to be able to give you cuz I believe they got a chance to still take the South and I believe that Houston is the team to watch in the AFC to come out of the AFC. That’s how I feel about that defense. Going to be a problem. That defense great defense get that defense is a problem. Very excellent defense. Now they don’t win in Kansas City. Last year they lost. True. They don’t win in Kansas. Historically they’ve gotten killed. The game they had the 24 nothing lead and the Chiefs scored 50 points in a row. You remember that famous game with Bill O’Brien when they went for it on fourth down? Everybody yelled and screamed. Well, that’s it. There you go. So they don’t win historically there. I I tell you guys, you write Mahomes off at your own peril. Go ahead. You write him off. You sit there right now. You sit there and you go write him and read all that pleasure in doing not the problem with doggy is that you’re not asking us about a game. You’re asking us about essentially a month to five weeks, the last five games of the regular season with a debilitated offensive line and a team that doesn’t look the way it’s looked all these years. I’ve been saying the same damn thing you just said since early November. Don’t write the Chiefs off. Don’t Don’t let it go yet. Yeah. Here they come. Listen, I’m I’mma tell you, man. There was a significant there was something significant about that Dallas game for Kansas City because the Chiefs win those games. That’s true. Pat Mahomes throw four touchdowns, no interceptions. You play that well on offense and you still leave that building without winning the game. Don’t get the ball back the last three minutes. Three, three minutes left and your defense, this is Steve Spagnola. we talking about the guy that has come up with defensive play after defensive play after defensive play throughout the Super Bowl era that they’ve been running. It just it’s something missing and I think the Chiefs are not playing from a position of strength like they always have. There’s a desperation that I think is costing them defensively especially by giving up so many plays trying to shoot the whole thing at the team instead of playing conservative. I listen, I don’t know if there’ll be there’ll be another time in my TV career that I say Patrick Mahomes won’t get into the playoffs or won’t be a substantial part of the playoffs. This is the one year I feel like I’ve come around now to feel like this team just doesn’t have enough to get it done. I mean, you said it yourself, whenever the Cowboys needed to score in their game against the Chiefs, they were able to. That Chief’s defense and Spags couldn’t pull something out of their hat. They’ve had issues running the football. They have turnovers. Bags isn’t the one that can’t pull something out of his hat. That’s a bad sign for opposing defenses against that Dallas guy. Houston’s offense is not Dallas’s offense. I know. Dallas receivers. This is not nearly as good an offense. Right. Houston got one good one though. He Oh, he’s good. And CJ Strad should get better and better. He was out for some time with that injury. So, we’ll see what happens. All

FIRST TAKE | Texans D is REAL problem to Mahomes – Stephen A. warns Chiefs miss playoffs if lose