ArrowheadOne Post Game Report: Game 2
The game was a noon time game on the new turf in Houston. The Texans opened the game receiving the ball and marched the ball down the field in only a few plays but the Chiefs Marcus Peters intercepted the ball at the goal line and returned it to the 19. The Chiefs turned right around and gave the ball back when Center Mitch Morse hiked the ball over QB Alex Smith’s head. From there the Texans QB Brock Osweiler wasted not time throwing back to Marcus Peters’ side as DeAndre Hopkins beat Peters for a TD.
Alex Smith had completed his first three passes but was off the mark with most of his first quarter passes after that. When the Chiefs defense stiffened and got a couple of 3-and-outs and mostly as a result of an excellent Tyreek Hill punt return, Cairo Santos was finally able to get the Chiefs on the board with a 50-yard field goal. In the meantime, the usually reliable RT Mitchell Schwartz had his hands thrown out of the way, negating his block by J.J. Watt, who then sacked QB Alex Smith.
To begin the 2nd quarter Alex Smith remains off in his accuracy but RB Spencer Ware breaks a nice long run to set the Chiefs up in Houston territory. Back-to-back penalties on the offensive line (Fulton and Fisher) and a completed catch-and-fumble by Demetrius Harris almost gave the ball right back to the Texans. However, Harris was ruled as not catching the ball so the Chiefs faced a 3 & 19. It didn’t matter much because Mitchell Schwartz gave up another Watt sack so the Chiefs had to punt.
From their own 17 yard-line the Texans completed a couple of passes to get two first downs then went for it on 4th and two and threw to their RB for a first down. Then, on a long pass down the right sideline to Fuller, who was out of bounds, Marcus Peters wagged his finger at Fuller earning a conduct foul which placed him in danger of being thrown out of the game if he gets another. From the Chiefs 14, Dee Ford got a solid hit on Osweiler who threw the ball up to the corner of the end zone and DeAndre Hopkins caught the ball with two knees down and it was originally ruled incomplete. The official review upheld the ruling on the field and the Texans kicked a field goal to go ahead 10-to-3.
Knile Davis returned the ensuing kickoff to the 24 and the Chiefs set up from there. Ware for 2 and 5 up the middle set up a 3 & 3 and the Chiefs took their second time out there. An 8 yard slant by Travis Kelce plus good protection and an 11-yard reception to Jeremy Maclin gave the Chiefs two needed first downs as well as some needed confidence. Tat confidence was dashed when Spencer Ware ran nine yards then fumbled the ball and Houston DB Kevin Johnson recovered it and returned it to the K.C. 14 yard-line.
Runs of two-yards and 6-yards gave the Texans 3rd & 2 near the goal-line but Marcus Peters knocked the ball down in the back of the end zone to thwart the drive which ended by a Houston field goal for a 13-to-3 lead.
With 1:21 left Knile Davis returned the ball to the 19 and then Charcandrick West picked up 2 up the middle. Another penalty on the OL pushed them back and with 3rd & 12 Charcandrick West burst up the middle for 28 yards. Coach Andy Reid called a time-out. Alex Smith misses a long pass over the middle to Chris Conley and is sacked and a forced fumble by LB Simon gives the ball right back to Houston at the Chiefs 39-yard line with 13 seconds left in the half. An incomplete pass by Osweiler who threw it out of bounds twice leaves time for one more play, a field goal attempt. From 57 yards Novak hits it off the uprights and the Chiefs go into the locker room down 13-to-3.
Tyreek Hill opened the second half with a good return to the 28 but a 3-and-out negated that effort. A Dustin Colquitt punt to the Texans 7 and a tackle by Tyreek Hill gave the Texans the ball at their own 6 yard-line. A couple of runs up the middle were stopped and the Texans faced a 3rd & 6. Brock Osweiler hit Will Fuller for a 20-yard reception. RB Lamar Miller ran for 13 yards but a holding call by Jeff Allen brought that play back. A 4th run by Miller on this drive only gained 3 yards and at 2nd and 17 Marcus Peters broke up a pass play that could have been an interception. At 3rd & 17 a 4 yard run up the middle by Lamar Miller forced a punt. A bad punt by Shane Lechler and a good return by Tyreek Hill would have given the ball to Alex Smith and the offense at the 38 but a block in the back on the punt pushed it back 15 yards.
A long incomplete pass, another sack of Alex Smith and a meaningless pass to Tyreek Hill in the flat caused another 3-and-out. Ball goes over to the Texans. The Chiefs offense is having its opportunities but just aren’t taking advantage. The dink and dunk would be welcome right now but they seem committed to throwing it deeper down field but with no success.
With the ball on their own 46, Lamar Miller ran up the middle for two. Osweiler then threw deep and overthrew Will Fuller along the right sideline. Next, it was Tamba Hali time. There was penetration all around but Hali got there first. Tyreek Hill made an interesting return by turning around and heading the opposite direction after heading one way to begin with, but in the end netted one-yard total for his trouble.
From the 14, the Chiefs had a Travis Kelce holding call pushing it back to the 7, an incomplete pass to Maclin and a short run by Spencer Ware to achieve another 3-and-out. Something must change for the Chiefs offense for this game to become competitive. Two scores down, the Chiefs can not depend on their defense to get stops or score.
From their own 39 yard-line Brock Osweiler hit DeAndre Hopkins for a 35-ayrd pass to get into Chiefs territory. However, on the next play, Mr. Marcus Peters intercepted the ball and returned it to the Chiefs 49. That is Marcus Peters 10th interception of his 18 game career. He now is averaging more than one INT every other game.
Spencer Ware then ran for 21 yards to advance the ball down to the Texans 31. After a short run and a pass in the flat for no yards, Alex Smith hit Albert Wilson… for 7 yards and short of a first down. A Cairo Santos 43-yard Field Goal try was held over and came at the beginning of the 4th quarter and was… GOOD! Texans still leading 13-to-6.
Then Cairo Santos kicked the kick-off out of bounds giving Houston the ball at their 40-yard line. Lamar Miller ran up the middle for 5 yards, then for 8 yards and a 1st down. Miller runs for 5 more yards and Miller follows it up with 3 more. 3rd & 3 and the Texans complete a 6-yard out pattern to DeAndre Hopkins. Another first down. Lamar Miller gains 1 yard up the middle and WR Will Fuller runs and out pattern successfully for another 1st down. RB Miller runs up the middle for 7 yards and then Eric Berry blows up a run in the backfield. On third-and-five, Dee Ford makes good on coverage but holding is call is declined and the Texans hit a Field Goal to back up by ten points, 16-to-6.
After a good return by Tyreek Hill, Alex Smith hits RB Spencer Ware down the middle for a huge gain to the Texans 35-yard line. After an incompletion Smith hits Albert Wilson between the numbers and Wilson can’t hold on. On third-and-ten Smith hits Jeremy Maclin for 16 yards and a 1st down. After an incomplete pass to Chris Conley, Smith drops to pass and after five seconds of good protection has to run but only gets 3. Next, Alex slips out of the grasp of would-be tacklers but throws another incompletion. 4th down: Cairo Santos makes it 16-to-9 but field goals are not going to win this one, there’s not enough time for that.
The Texans kneel on the kickoff and take over from their 25. A 3-yard gain by Lamar Miller begins this drive. A nine-yards completion on a slant to DeAndre Miller gets another first down. A first down sweep by Lamar Miller gains 5. A 7-yard run up the middle gets another first down and the clock is ticking. Lamar Miller for 4 up the middle. Miller up the middle for zero yards sets u a key 3rd down with 4:09 left in the game. The Chiefs were not ready for a pass to the WR near the sidelines and Phillip Gaines whiffed on the tackle. First down. Lamar Miller gains 4 up the middle. Alfred Blue loses one yard and the Chiefs take their final time out with 3:52 remaining in the game. A holding call pushed Houston back but a DeAndre Hopkins catch got them up to the 30 yard-line. 4th down: kicker Novak kicks a sinker-ball but just made it over the bar. Texans 19, Chiefs 9.
A penalty on the ensuing kickoff erased a 105 yard TD return by Tyreek Hill. Chiefs ball at their own 7-yard line. A pass to Travis Kelce and then to Chris Conley gets a first down out to the 26. A 14-yard pass to Spencer Ware takes it out to the 40 and the 2:00 warning helps stop the clock for the Chiefs who now have no timeouts. Smith hits Kelce again for 7-yards. Smith goes to Maclin who steps out with 1:32 remaining. Maclin is held by Kareem Jackson, automatic first down. Smith to Maclin who goes out of bounds again for another first down to the 15. Smith hits Kelce in the end zone but the throw is high and Kelce gets his hand on it and can’t bring it in. Mitchell Schwartz is penalized for a false start and the ball is placed at the 20. Eric Fisher is called for a false start and the ball is moved back to the 25-yard line. Maclin catches the ball at the 11-yard line and the clock is ticking. 4th down. Cairo Santos hits the field goal, Texans 19, Chiefs 12. The on-side kick is now pending.
DeAndre Hopkins recovers the ball on the on-side kick at the 50 yard-line and the Texans only need to kneel to win. Two kneel-downs and the game of Kansas City missed opportunities has come to an end.
FINAL: Houston 19, Kansas City 12.
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