The best bets for Kansas City versus Houston in the NFL Divisional Round.
Kansas City is an NFL-best 15-2 and coming off the bye week for this home playoff game at Arrowhead. The Chiefs won six straight games before the tank job against the Broncos, so this team is riding high entering the playoffs. The Chiefs have won seven straight playoff games and nine of the last 11 dating back to 2021 and Mahomes is a perfect 6-0 in the Divisional Round.
Houston beat Los Angeles 32-12 on the back of the defense grabbing four interceptions off Justin Herbert after he threw three the entire regular season. The Texans are down Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell, but the trio of CJ Stroud (324 total yards), Joe Mixon (119 total yards), and Nico Collins (122 receiving yards) showed up against a stout Chargers defense and will have to again at the Chiefs.
These two teams met in Week 16 in Kansas City and the Chiefs won 27-19. The winner of this game will play the winner of Baltimore (-1.5) at Buffalo.
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Game Details and How to watch the Houston Texans vs. Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday
· Date: Saturday, January 18, 2024
· Time: 4:30 PM EST
· Site: Arrowhead Stadium
· City: Kansas City, MO
· TV/Streaming: ABC / ESPN
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Game odds for Texans vs. Chiefs
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Kansas City Chiefs (-440), Houston Texans (+340)
Spread: Chiefs -8.5 (-120)
Total: 41.5
The spread opened at -8.5 and has been consistent across most sportsbooks, but you could find a -7.5 or -8. The total opened at 42.5 and has been bet down to 41.5. These teams met in Week 16 and the Chiefs won at home 27-19 covering the -3.5 and going Over the 43.5.
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes Patrick Mahomes to go Under 0.5 Interceptions and the Chiefs defense to stand strong at Arrowhead:
“Mahomes’ season started rocky with an interception in seven straight games, but he’s since cleaned up his act with six consecutive games without a pick and two interceptions over the final nine games (both against Buffalo).
In the Divisional Round, Mahomes is a perfect 6-0 and has not thrown an interception in any of those games. Houston of course got four interceptions off Herbert last week, but Mahomes is in a different tier of quarterbacks, especially in the playoffs.
The Chiefs defense is another angle I will back. Kansas City has become more of a defensive team this season and afterplaying the Texans earlier, and seeing Houston beat Los Angeles, there should be a stellar game plan set out to make CJ Stroud struggle and abandon the run game early with Joe Mixon.
The Team Total for Houston is 16.5 and I think they go Under that number. The first-quarter and first-half lines are set at 2.5 and 7.5, so I like the chances the Chiefs control the clock and win the turnover battle.”
Houston Texans vs. Kansas City Chiefs team stats, betting trends
- Kansas City is 8-9 ATS this season and 3-5 ATS at home.
- Houston is 8-8-2 ATS and 4-3 ATS as an underdog.
- The Chiefs are 10-7 to the Under, ranking tied for fifth-best.
- The Texans are 11-7 to the Under, ranking second-best.
- Houston has gone 2-2 ATS as a road underdog.
- Kansas City has gone 3-5 ATS as a home favorite.
- Patrick Mahomes has gone Under 0.5 interceptions in six straight.
- Travis Kelce has scored nine touchdowns in his last five divisional-round games and five straight.
- Isiah Pacheco has 32 or fewer yards in three straight games entering the playoffs.
- Xavier Worthy recorded seven receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown against the Texans in the first meeting of the year.
- Patrick Mahomes is 6-0 in the NFL Divisional Round.
- CJ Stroud is 0-1 in the Divisional Round and 2-0 in the Wild Card.
- CJ Stroud threw for 282 yards, one touchdown, one interception, plus 42 rushing yards in the win over the Chargers.
- Joe Mixon had 106 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 carries last week.
- Nico Collins led the team with 122 receiving yards and a touchdown last week.
- The Texans’ defense earned a season-high four interceptions and ran one back for a touchdown against Los Angeles.
Quarterback matchup for Los Angeles vs. Houston
Houston: CJ Stroud – Stroud finished his sophomore campaign with 20 passing touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Stroud threw for 3,727 yards and a 63.2% completion percentage. Stroud finished with 10 touchdowns to six interceptions on the road and at home this season.
Kansas City: Patrick Mahomes - Mahomes finished the regular season with 3,928 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Mahomes has six straight games without an interception and 12 total touchdowns in that span. He is a perfect 6-0 in the Divisional Round.
Chiefs and Texans injury update
Houston’s WR’s Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell are out for the season, and WR Robert Woods (hip) didn’t practice on Wednesday but is expected to play.
The Chiefs are healthy entering the playoffs minus the players that have been on IR for most of the season like WR’s Rashee Rice, Mecole Hardman, and Skyy Moore, but CB Jaylen Watson did practice which is great news.
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