NFL

Chiefs 23, Texans 14

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are unflappable. Despite being outgained in yardage 336-212 and forcing zero turnovers, Kansas City is heading to its seventh consecutive AFC Championship Game. The NFL’s other 31 teams would surely love to have the Chiefs’ voodoo magic.

Back to Mahomes, the quarterback didn’t light up the stat sheet, as has been the norm this season. That wasn’t totally on the two-time MVP, as he was under duress all afternoon by a ferocious Texans pass rush. Regardless, Mahomes finished 16-of-25 for 177 yards, one touchdown and most importantly, zero turnovers. A decent stat line? Yes, but the 29-year-old might need to play better next week to outduel Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.

It would also be fair to point out the lack of help Mahomes received yesterday — officiating notwithstanding. Travis Kelce, per usual, delivered in this playoff victory, recording seven receptions for 117 yards and a score, but that was about it for the Chiefs’ skill-position players. The running game was mostly nonexistent, as Isiah Pacheco, in particular, struggled to get going. The 25-year-old posted just five carries for 18 yards.

You probably get the picture by this point — Kansas City won this game with defense and special teams play. Steve Spagnuolo is arguably the best defensive coordinator in the sport, and his unit was all over the Texans yesterday. Chris Jones is still a force up the middle, capable of changing games and wrecking gameplans all at once. The 30-year-old used that force to tally four tackles and a sack in this victory. It wasn’t just Jones for the Chiefs’ front, however. The always-underrated George Karlaftis was dominant, registering five tackles and three sacks.

Kansas City will surely do everything in its power to carry over its defensive performance to next week. It’s a must, especially against an all-world quarterback. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson each present a unique set of challenges for defenses, but something — history, perhaps — tells me the Chiefs will be ready. Patrick Mahomes and the offense will be, too. But it won’t be enough. The Chiefs’ luck will run out in the AFC Championship, no matter who they face.

Let’s circle back to the Texans. It wouldn’t be wrong to state that Houston outplayed Kansas City yesterday; the team controlled the line of scrimmage and the gameplan was effective, but the Texans never seized control of the contest like the Chiefs did. Will more playoff experience benefit Houston? Maybe, but this was this core’s fourth postseason game, and many players looked like deer in headlights.

C.J. Stroud, at times, was one of those players, but he wasn’t necessarily bad in this tilt — and he certainly didn’t cost Houston the game. Stroud finished a pedestrian 19-of-28 for 245 yards, but he did so without two key weapons in Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell. With better health, the Texans should be back. That’s never a guarantee, though. The clock is ticking on Stroud’s rookie deal.

Playing from behind is never an ideal game script, but I thought Houston should’ve played through Joe Mixon even more than it did. The tailback carried the ball 18 times for 88 yards and a score in this defeat, keeping the chains moving when Stroud’s weaponry failed to help. Trading for and extending Mixon last offseason was a great move.

Like the Chiefs’ stop unit, the Texans’ defense was outstanding yesterday. Led by Derek Stingley and Will Anderson, DeMeco Ryans should have a talented group of defenders for years to come. Anderson recorded two sacks and three tackles for loss in this game.

Falcons hire Jeff Ulbrich as defensive coordinator

Ulbrich was thrust into a precarious position as the Jets’ interim head coach this season. He had no chance, as this year’s Jets were a dead-end team, a squad that would’ve gotten almost any coach fired. Now that Ulbrich has escaped that situation, he can go back to doing what he does best — coordinating a defense.

This won’t be Ulbrich’s first stop in Atlanta, as the 47-year-old was with the franchise from 2015-20 as the linebackers coach and defensive coordinator. While that familiarity may not matter, what is important is Ulbrich’s ability to juice up a lifeless Falcons pass rush. Atlanta finished 31st in sacks this season, so getting more pressure on the quarterback should be top priority for Ulbrich’s unit next season.

Grade: B