Houston Texans vs Kansas City Chiefs Match Player Stats (Dec 7, 2025)
The Houston Texans forced three Patrick Mahomes interceptions and committed zero turnovers, and that 3-0 turnover margin proved decisive in their 20-10 victory at Arrowhead Stadium on December 7, 2025. Mahomes posted a 19.8 passer rating, his lowest of the 2025 season, after completing just 42% of his passes. Kansas City’s receiving corps dropped six attempts. C.J. Stroud threw for 203 yards and one touchdown. Nico Collins caught four passes for 121 yards. The victory pushed Houston to 8-5 and strengthened their playoff position. Kansas City dropped to 6-7 as postseason hopes faded.
Table of Contents
Final Score and Game Information
Houston Texans 20, Kansas City Chiefs 10
| Date | December 7, 2025 |
| Venue | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium |
| Attendance | 73,611 |
| Weather | 27°F, 80% humidity, 8 mph wind |
| Spread | KC -4.5 |
Houston entered as 4.5-point underdogs but controlled the game through ball security and defensive pressure. Kansas City fell to 6-7, their worst record through 13 games since 2012.
Team Statistics
| Category | Houston | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 268 | 274 |
| First Downs | 14 | 15 |
| Third Down % | 44% (8/18) | 29% (4/14) |
| Fourth Down % | 0% (0/0) | 33% (1/3) |
| Time of Possession | 31:58 | 28:02 |
| Penalties | 8 for 59 | 5 for 20 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 3 |
The three-turnover differential made the difference. Houston protected the football while Kansas City gave it away at critical moments. The Texans converted 44% of third downs while Kansas City managed just 29%, sustaining drives that kept their defense fresh.
Quarterback Performance
| QB | Team | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.J. Stroud | HOU | 15/31 | 203 | 1 | 0 | 3-17 | 80.4 |
| Patrick Mahomes | KC | 14/33 | 160 | 0 | 3 | 2-12 | 19.8 |
Mahomes threw three interceptions for the first time since 2022. The 19.8 passer rating represented his lowest in any game this season. Jalen Pitre intercepted him in the second quarter. Kamari Lassiter picked off a deep attempt to Hollywood Brown in the fourth quarter. Azeez Al-Shaair caught the game-sealing pick intended for Travis Kelce at the 30-second mark.
Kansas City played without left tackle Wanya Morris, who left on the opening drive with a knee injury. Undrafted rookie Esa Pole replaced him for 63 snaps and allowed three pressures. PFF’s analysis documented Pole’s performance in the challenging assignment. Right guard Trey Smith and right tackle Jawaan Taylor both sat out due to injuries. Kansas City played the game using three backup offensive linemen.
Stroud completed 48% of his passes and avoided turnovers. His 53-yard completion to Collins in the second quarter set up Houston’s opening touchdown. He threw eight consecutive incompletions to start the third quarter but converted two third downs on Houston’s fourth-quarter scoring drive.
Rushing Attack Comparison
Houston Texans
| Player | Carries | Yards | YPC | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woody Marks | 26 | 68 | 2.6 | 0 | 8 |
| Dare Ogunbowale | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 1 | 5 |
| C.J. Stroud | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 | 3 |
Kansas City Chiefs
| Player | Carries | Yards | YPC | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Mahomes | 7 | 59 | 8.4 | 0 | 15 |
| Kareem Hunt | 12 | 30 | 2.5 | 1 | 6 |
| Isiah Pacheco | 9 | 30 | 3.3 | 0 | 6 |
Marks carried a season-high 26 times but averaged 2.6 yards per attempt against Kansas City’s front seven. Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill read plays quickly and filled running lanes. Ogunbowale’s five-yard touchdown run on first-and-goal broke a 10-10 tie at the 7:01 mark of the fourth quarter.
Mahomes led all rushers with 59 yards on seven scrambles. Hunt scored Kansas City’s only touchdown on a two-yard run in the third quarter.
Receiving Statistics
Houston Texans Receiving
| Receiver | Targets | Rec | Yards | YPR | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nico Collins | 8 | 4 | 121 | 30.3 | 0 | 53 |
| Jayden Higgins | 5 | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 0 | 17 |
| Dalton Schultz | 4 | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 0 | 14 |
| Woody Marks | 3 | 2 | 8 | 4.0 | 1 | 9 |
Kansas City Chiefs Receiving
| Receiver | Targets | Rec | Yards | YPR | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier Worthy | 4 | 3 | 55 | 18.3 | 0 | 23 |
| Hollywood Brown | 2 | 1 | 35 | 35.0 | 0 | 35 |
| Rashee Rice | 8 | 4 | 34 | 8.5 | 0 | 15 |
| Travis Kelce | 5 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 |
Collins averaged over 30 yards per reception. His 121 yards represented his fourth game with 90-plus receiving yards in his last five appearances.
Kansas City’s receivers dropped six passes, including fourth-down attempts by Rice and Kelce that ended two drives when the Chiefs trailed by one score. ESPN’s game recap documented the drops.
Houston’s defensive front capitalized on Kansas City’s offensive line struggles and forced constant pressure throughout the game.
Defensive Leaders
Houston Texans Defense
| Player | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | Int | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy Togiai | 10 | 2 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kamari Lassiter | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Jalen Pitre | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Azeez Al-Shaair | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Myles Bryant | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kansas City Chiefs Defense
| Player | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | Int | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Bolton | 12 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Drue Tranquill | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| George Karlaftis | 5 | 3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Jones | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Tommy Togiai recorded 10 tackles, one sack, and six total pressures. Per PFF metrics, Togiai’s interior push consistently collapsed Kansas City’s pocket, forcing Mahomes to step up into edge pressure. PFF awarded him an 82.2 grade for the performance.
Jalen Pitre earned a 90.1 grade, the highest among all defenders. His second-quarter interception bounced off JuJu Smith-Schuster and into his hands at the Houston 43-yard line.
Kamari Lassiter played through a foot injury listed as questionable before the game. On first-and-10 from Kansas City’s 38-yard line in the fourth quarter, Lassiter jumped a deep pass intended for Brown for the interception.
Houston generated 21 total pressures and rarely sent more than four pass rushers, according to PFF’s game analysis. Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter combined for seven pressures from edge positions. Sheldon Rankins and Denico Autry each recorded a half sack.
Kansas City pressured Stroud on 45.7% of his dropbacks but recorded just three sacks. The Chiefs defense held Houston to 268 yards but couldn’t force turnovers.
Game Flow and Critical Moments
Kansas City received the opening kickoff but went three-and-out. Houston took over at their own 10-yard line late in the first quarter and drove to the Kansas City 16 before an offensive holding penalty pushed them back. Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked a 35-yard field goal to give Houston a 3-0 lead.
Houston extended their lead in the second quarter with a 10-play, 90-yard touchdown drive. Stroud completed passes of 46 and 53 yards to Collins on the drive. On third-and-goal from the 9-yard line, Stroud hit Woody Marks for a touchdown. Houston led 10-0 at halftime after Kansas City gained just 98 yards in the opening two quarters.
Kansas City responded after intermission with an eight-play, 56-yard scoring drive. Mahomes completed a 35-yard pass to Brown that moved the Chiefs into Houston territory. Hunt scored from two yards out on fourth-and-one to cut the deficit to 10-7. Harrison Butker kicked a 36-yard field goal to tie the game at 10 with 1:50 left in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter belonged to Houston’s defense and Andy Reid’s failed gambles. Tied at 10, Kansas City faced fourth-and-one at their own 31-yard line. Reid opted to go for it. Mahomes threw to Rice, but the receiver failed to make the catch. Houston took over with excellent field position.
Six plays later, Ogunbowale scored from five yards out to give Houston a 17-10 lead at the 7:01 mark. Kansas City drove from their own 8-yard line to their 41 before facing fourth-and-four. Mahomes delivered an accurate pass to Kelce, but the tight end dropped it. Houston took over on downs.
“You’re getting late in the season. You’re not going to get these opportunities back,” Mahomes said after the game. “That’s a good football team, but we had chances and we didn’t execute at the right time to win it.”
Kansas City got the ball back one final time at the 30-second mark. On second down from the Kansas City 8-yard line, Mahomes threw a pass intended for Kelce that Al-Shaair intercepted to end the game. Fairbairn added a 28-yard field goal for the final 20-10 margin.
Why Houston Won
Three factors separated the teams. Houston’s ball security created short fields and protected leads. The Texans committed zero turnovers. Kansas City threw three interceptions. Jalen Pitre, Kamari Lassiter, and Azeez Al-Shaair each intercepted Mahomes.
Their third-down efficiency sustained drives and controlled possession. Houston converted 44% of third downs compared to Kansas City’s 29%. The Texans controlled time of possession at 31:58 to 28:02. Kansas City’s offense stalled repeatedly, putting their defense back on the field quickly.
Most critically, their front four generated 21 pressures without needing to blitz, collapsing the pocket repeatedly. The front four dominated the line of scrimmage against backup offensive linemen throughout the game.
Special Teams
| Category | Houston | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | 2/2 (long 35) | 1/2 (long 36) |
| Extra Points | 2/2 | 1/1 |
| Punts (Avg) | 8 (41.1) | 4 (47.0) |
Ka’imi Fairbairn made both field-goal attempts while Harrison Butker missed from 43 yards in the second quarter.
Season Implications
This victory pushed Houston to 8-5 in the AFC playoff race. Four games remained on their schedule. Their five-game winning streak after starting 0-3 continued one of the season’s most remarkable turnarounds. According to historical analysis, only six teams previously rallied from 0-3 to reach the playoffs, with the 2018 Texans being one of them.
Kansas City dropped to 6-7 with diminished postseason chances. The loss snapped their five-game winning streak against Houston dating back to 2016. With four games remaining, the Chiefs faced long odds to reach the playoffs. Chris Jones acknowledged the reality: “We’ve still got an opportunity. Even though it’s a slim opportunity, we have an opportunity. For us, the door is still open.”
“We did what we came to do,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said after the game. “It was just about accomplishing your mission. We just knew we had to get the win no matter what it took.”
Despite the victory, Ryans emphasized areas needing improvement. “Lot of things we need to improve offensively. We need to operate much faster. It’s not good enough for us. We have to operate more efficiently and more urgently on that side of the football.”
Houston’s defense entered this matchup ranked first in yards allowed per game. Official game notes from the Texans highlighted defensive coordinator Matt Burke’s game plan that generated consistent pressure on Mahomes.
The teams met again in the playoffs six weeks later in a Divisional Round matchup at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City advanced 23-14 in a rematch that produced different results, with the Chiefs defense forcing eight sacks and generating consistent pressure throughout that playoff game. But on this December night at Arrowhead Stadium, three turnovers and zero giveaways determined the result. Pro Football Reference’s detailed box score documented Houston’s defensive dominance that strengthened their playoff position and dealt Kansas City a significant blow in their postseason fight.
