Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs got to watch the Wild Card round unfold from home after securing the AFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round bye. However, they had to wait until the third and final AFC game on Sunday afternoon when the Buffalo Bills battled the Denver Broncos.
With Allen and the Bills easily securing the 31-7 win, Buffalo will now be playing the Baltimore Ravens, while the Chiefs will host C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans.
The Texans were able to pull off a bit of a surprise in their Wild Card game, defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 despite being 2.5-point underdogs (ESPN BET).
After the Bills’ win over Denver, the NFL took to social media to make a post regarding the upcoming game between the Chiefs and the Texans.
“Stroud. Mahomes. Divisional Round. Let’s GO,” the NFL wrote on X.
Kansas City and Houston met in Week 16 of the 2024 NFL season. The Chiefs were able to secure a 27-19 win. Mahomes put up 260 passing yards and one touchdown while adding 33 yards and another score on the ground.
Stroud, on the other hand, turned the ball over a few times, which proved costly for the Texans. He finished with 244 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The upcoming battle between Mahomes and Stroud will be just the second time the two have met and the first in the NFL playoffs. Last season, the Texans were able to advance to the Divisional Round before falling to the Ravens. Meanwhile, the Chiefs went on to win their second-straight Super Bowl.
The winner of the Kansas City vs. Houston matchup will take on the winner of the Bills and Ravens game in the AFC championship.