A game with major playoff implications is set to close out the Sunday slate of games when the Houston Texans take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 14. With both teams fighting tooth and nail to get into the playoffs, the game and the tiebreaker between them could determine how the bracket shakes out in a few weeks.
But at this point in the season, no team is coming into a game fully healthy. So we are breaking down the injury report for both squads and taking a look at who will be starting for them in this encounter.
Inactive List for Chiefs and Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
- RB Elijah Mitchell
- WR Nikko Remigio
- RT Jawaan Taylor
- RG Trey Smith
- WR Jalen Royals
- CB Kristian Fulton
Houston Texans
- WR Braxton Berrios
- QB Graham Mertz
- CB Alijah Huzzie
- CB Ja’Marcus Ingram
- DE Solomon Byrd
- LB Jamal Hill
- T Jarrett Kingston
Starters for Chiefs vs. Texans
Offense:
- QB Patrick Mahomes
- RB Isiah Pacheco
- WR Rashee Rice
- WR Xavier Worthy
- WR Hollywood Brown
- TE Travis Kelce
- LT Wanya Morris
- LG Kingsley Suamataia
- C Creed Humphrey
- RG Mike Caliendo
- RT Jaylon Moore
Defense:
- LDE George Karlaftis
- LDT Chris Jones
- RDT Derrick Nndai
- RDE Mike Danna
- SLB Drue Tranquill
- MLB Nick Bolton
- WLB Leo Chenal
- RCB Trent McDuffie
- SS Jaden Hicks
- FS Bryan Cook
- LCB Jaylen Watson
Special Teams:
- PK Harrison Butker
- P, H Matt Araiza
- PR, KR Brashard Smith
- LS James Winchester
The biggest concern for the Chiefs is going to be the offensive line. Josh Simmons has already been placed on the injured reserve list, and there is a possibility that Trey Smith and Jawaan Taylor also miss the encounter.
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Facing a ferocious pass rush in the Texans, it is going to be an uphill climb for the offense, while the defense hasn’t shown enough to merit belief that they can trudge out a win on their own.
Houston Texans
Offense:
- QB C.J. Stroud
- RB Woody Marks
- WR Nico Collins
- WR Jayden Higgins
- WR Xavier Hutchinson
- TE Dalton Schultz
- LT Aireontae Ersery
- LG Jarrett Kingston
- C Jake Andrews
- RG Ed Ingram
- RT Tytus Howard
Defense:
- LDE Will Anderson Jr.
- LDT Sheldon Rankins
- RDT Mario Edwards Jr.
- RDE Danielle Hunter
- SLB Henry To’oTo’o
- MLB Azeez Al-Shair
- WLB E.J. Speed
- LCB Derek Stingley Jr.
- FS Calen Bullock
- SS Jalen Pitre
- RCB Kamari Lassiter
Special teams:
- PK Ka’imi Fairbairn
- P, H Tommy Townsend
- PR Jaylin Noel
- KR Tremon Smith
- LS Austin Brinkman
The number one-ranked unit on PFSN’s Defense Impact has been the foundation of a four-game win streak that has powered Houston right back into the playoff mix. At 7-5, they are inches away from the Jacksonville Jaguars at the top of the division, and have already overtaken the Indianapolis Colts.
But a victory over Kansas City would give them a critical tiebreaker that could become a major factor at the end of the season in a jam-packed race for the Wild Card spots in the AFC.
