Sunday Night Football Recap: Chiefs 42, Texans 34

Football is supposed to be a good thing. Tonight it was a very bad thing. Whitney Mercilus missed the majority of the game after hurting his chest. J.J. Watt suffered a science fiction named fracture on a non-contactish play and is out for the entire season. Alex Smith and the Chiefs converted 9 of 15 third down attempts, started the game converting 6/8 of those attempts, and Smith averaged 8.8 yards per attempt and threw for 324 yards. Kareem Hunt ran for 100+ yards again. Andy Reid picked Mike Vrabel’s brain like carrion as Kansas City created easy open throws against zone coverage and three or four man rushes.

The Texans almost came back and turned it into a one-possession game, making it a 20-26 endeavor in the fourth quarter. Then Kansas City finished Houston off with a meticulously crafted 3:30 drive that ended in a ten yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Harris after a Tyreek Hill punt return touchdown that Bill O’Brien should have 100% gone prevented by going for it. Houston ended up losing 42-34.

Aside from Deshaun Watson producing the silliest stat line I’ve ever seen—16/31, 261 yards, 8.4 yards per attempt, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions—and making some insane throws and the run game getting out of the second level and into the open field, tonight was a disaster. Houston is now looking up to the 3-2 Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South standings. The only good news is that the Texans are playing the 0-5 Browns next week and have a bye the week after.

React!