The Houston Texans are fresh off one of their biggest games of the season so far, that came with a 20-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts that lifted them to win four in a row and a strong 7-5 record on the year–– but the stakes might be even higher for what their coming matchup on the horizon on Sunday Night Football against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs have been up and down throughout this seaason, but with Mahomes and Andy Reid in the mix, this offense inevitably has a chance to pull out a win in any given matchup.
They’re one of the more sustainable, potent forces in the NFL through the past half-decade, and in a must-win game for them and their playoff hopes in Arrowhead Stadium, they’re bound to bring their best into this ne to try and dethrone Houston from a four-game win streak.
But in the eyes of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, claiming a win over the Texans might be much easier said than done–– as he sees a ton of things to like from Houston’s elite defense, and a lot to dislike for the Chiefs’ offensive line that may ultimately be too much for Mahomes to handle in Week 14:
“If anybody can pull it off, it’s Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, but I can’t say they’re going to beat the Texans this weekend,” Smith said during First Take.
“What is it about the Texans? I’ve seen them send three [rushers] at quarterbacks and get to him. Three. Not even four. And I’m looking at the Chiefs right now. Trey Smith, offensive life, is out. Josh Simmons out. Jawaan Taylor, out. You got cats that are out.”
“That [Texans] defense is a problem.” 😳@stephenasmith gives his prediction ahead of the Chiefs and Texans facing off in Week 14 ✍️ pic.twitter.com/V9q831PZJH
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 3, 2025Stephen A. Smith Thinks Texans Could Be Trouble for Chiefs
When pairing a porous offensive line with an elite pass-rush on the other side, that tends to not be a positive mix for the quarterback under cernter. That means for Mahomes, this weekend could be a challenging task to overcome with what the Texans bring to the table.
And especially for the Chiefs and their unfavorable history when it comes to shaky offensive line play, games like this one certainly sound off some alarms for Stephen A.
“When we’ve seen Patrick Mahomes, humbled, if not crushed: Super Bowl versus Tampa, offensive line. Super Bowl versus Philly. And this year, what? Same problem, offensive line. That seems to be the one thing that Andy Reid is ill-equipped to overcome. It just that way… Against Houston? This defense, you got Patrick Mahomes back there, and we gonna send folks for you.”
Jan 18, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is sacked by Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (top) and defensive tackle Tommy Togiai (72) during the first quarter of a 2025 AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The combination of Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. have been causing havoc on opposing scoring units all year, and for an offensive line with the troubles that the Chiefs currently hold, that might just be enough for Houston to rattle off what would be a fifth-straight win.
And if that momentum continues to carry, Stephen A. doesn’t see why Houston wouldn’t be worth a look as contenders coming out of the AFC.
“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 you’re offensive line, that one, not to, but three different dudes? Out? Against them?”
“Listen, 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’s gonna be what C.J. Stroud and that offense is going to be able to give you.”
“I believe they got a chance to still take the South, and I believe that Houston is the team to watch in the AFC that comes out of the AFC. That’s how I feel about that defense.”
The Texans are gaining some real steam heading into their most pivotal stretch of the season. We’ll see if it’ll hold against an explosive Chiefs roster, and therefore, prove Stephen A. right on this one.
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