3 reasons why Texans will pull an upset win over Chiefs and spoil Patrick Mahomes and Co.'s Super Bowl 3-peat dreams

The Houston Texans will face the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday as they look to win their second successive playoff game and end Patrick Mahomes' chances of a three-peat.

The Texans defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 in the AFC wild-card round last weekend, a game they came into as underdogs.

This will be the case again on Saturday, as Houston, who ended the year at 10-7, will travel to face the Chiefs, who ended as the AFC's No. 1 seed with a 15-2 record. Despite entering the game as underdogs, the Texans will hope to cause an upset. Here are three reasons why they'll leave Arrowhead with a win.

Why Texans will pull off an upset win over Chiefs

#1 - Defense shows up again

NFL: Why Texans will pull an upset win over Chiefs - Source: Imagn

The Texans defense and special teams were the main reasons they overcame the Chargers. The defense picked off QB Justin Herbert four times, and their special teams blocked a field goal for a touchdown.

They also held Los Angeles under 50 total rushing yards, which made Herbert more uncomfortable all afternoon.

Houston's D/ST will need to be in similar form against the Chiefs if they stand any chance of coming away with a win. QB Patrick Mahomes is on another level than Herbert but is still susceptible to mistakes, throwing double-digit interceptions in the last four seasons.

If they can turn the turnovers into points, Houston has a chance to hang with KC.

#2 - C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins dominate

NFL: Why Texans will pull an upset win over Chiefs - Source: Imagn

C.J. Stroud suffered a sophomore slump in 2024, performing way worse than his amazing rookie campaign. This was partly due to his star WR Nico Collins missing part of the season through injury.

Thankfully for Houston and Stroud, Collins has made it back for the postseason and was excellent in the Wild Card, catching seven of eight passes for 122 yards and a touchdown, Stroud's only TD pass of the day.

The connection between the two will be vital if the Texans stand any chance of making it through to the AFC Championship Game.

#3 - Play aggressive football

NFL: Why Texans will pull an upset win over Chiefs - Source: Imagn

The Chiefs have one of the best defenses in football, especially against the run. The temptation when going into a game of this magnitude as underdogs is to play conservatively and run the ball.

However, this tactic likely won't work against a juggernaut like Kansas City, which can score points as quickly as a flash.

Despite being a top-five defensive unit in 2024, the Chiefs allowed 19 touchdowns to wide receivers, with just five teams allowing more. C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins connecting early and often could be key to their success on Saturday.