The Kansas City Chiefs struggled to protect Patrick Mahomes and maintain their playoff push Sunday, falling 20-10 to the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium.Mahomes was limited to 14 of 33 passing for 160 yards with three interceptions, playing behind an offensive line missing key starters. Left tackle Wanya Morris and cornerback Trent McDuffie left the game with injuries, compounding earlier absences at guard and tackle. The Chiefs managed just 98 first-half yards and trailed 10-0 at halftime, one of the few times Mahomes has been shut out through two quarters in the regular season.
Kansas City rallied briefly in the third quarter with Kareem Hunt’s touchdown run and a Harrison Butker field goal to tie the game at 10, but critical fourth-down failures in the fourth quarter prevented the comeback. On one pivotal possession, the Chiefs went for it on fourth-and-1 at their own 31 and came up short, setting up Houston’s go-ahead touchdown. A dropped pass by Rashee Rice on another fourth down and a late Mahomes interception sealed the loss.
The defeat drops the Chiefs to 6-7, their worst record through 13 games since a 2-11 start in 2012. Once a dominant team in the AFC, Kansas City now faces mounting pressure to secure a playoff spot in the final stretch of the season.
UP NEXT
Kansas City visits the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday. Houston hosts Arizona.
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