It was a cloudy day on January 12, 2020, when the Texans were up against the Chiefs in the divisional playoffs twice. Boy-oh-Boy! They came prepared, going up 21-0 in the first quarter before the home team could even sense what was happening. But Patrick Mahomes rallied with 28 points in the second quarter, taking a 4-point lead into the halftime. The Chiefs went on to secure the result 51-31. And they did it without their DT Chris Jones, who was inactive. But he will be there to take down CJ Stroud tonight.

If the Texans are to stand a chance, their pocket protection needs to be top-notch. OC Bobby Slowik understands this. His quarterback took 4 hits from the star DT in their only regular season game this year which they lost 19-27. Warning Stroud about the 3-times All-Pro, he said, “It starts with Chris Jones. He’s an unbelievable player. He presents a lot of problems. He makes you do adjustments to the run game and the pass game.” He’s right.

CJ Stroud witnessed the Chiefs’ defensive strength first hand. He saw his pass getting intercepted by safety Jaden Hicks in the first two minutes of their regular season matchup. One thing is certain. The 6′ 6″ 310 pound-beast, Chris Jones, will not leave any stone unturned to win his team a turnover. The Pro Bowls don’t excite him anymore. He needs the trophies to have fun in life.

With 5 sacks and 36 tackles (18 solo) in 15 games this year, he is the X-factor for the Chiefs. While talking with reporters on Wednesday, the 16th of January, he raised the competitive edge many times by saying, “They can keep all the bowls. We care about Super Bowls, and that’s what we play for; that’s what we care about. That’s the most important thing.” But the Texans aren’t here without playing some shutdown football themselves.

It showed against the Chargers in the wildcard as they won 32-12. CJ Stroud recorded 282 passing yards with 22 of 33 passes (66.7% completion rate) with 1 TD and 1 interception. However, it was the Texans’ defense that secured the result, recording 4 interceptions against Justin Herbert. They may need a different plan against the Chiefs.

Texans’ HC gives the winning mantra to CJ Stroud

DeMeco Ryans came to the Texans with an enormous responsibility on his shoulders. Winning a Super Bowl! Last year, CJ Stroud commanded his O-line to a dominant 45-14 wildcard win against the Browns. This year, they did the same against the Chargers. But they wouldn’t want to repeat the lame 35-10 loss against the Ravens in their previous divisional playoff in 2023.

Their strategy is clear. Go hard and go fast! Talking about the winning mantra, the HC said, “When it comes to the quick passing, getting the ball out, getting completions, allowing our playmakers to make plays. That’s part of being efficient. That helped us last week, and it’ll also be a key this week.” On paper, they look solid, with WR Nico Collins, RB Joe Mixon, and TE Dalton Schultz. The trio have 21 TDs between them in the 2024 regular season. But to win at Arrowhead, CJ Stroud has to battle one more thing. Chiefdom!

With a 3-peat on the cards, the crowd will be raucous. So, the communication needs to be very clear. Each player needs to have their role defined. Even Tom Brady chose Patrick Mahomes in any one score situation, showing how dangerous the Chiefs’ signal caller gets under pressure.

On Saturday, history will definitely be made. Either the Chiefs will reach a new level of stardom or the Texans will become the Kansas City villains. Stay tuned as we update you beat by beat!