5 things we learned from the Chiefs taking care of business against the Texans

Win and advance. That’s all that matters.

The Kansas City Chiefs came into Saturday’s Divisional round game on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium with just one goal in mind: to defeat the Houston Texans and advance to their seventh straight AFC Championship.

That’s exactly what they did. They controlled the game from the opening kickoff to the final whistle. Saturday’s 23-14 victory provided convincing proof that in the postseason, experience and composure are just as important as talent.

Suffering from multiple self-inflicted wounds, the Texans watched their playoff hopes bleed away. With just under two minutes remaining, the Chiefs watched the light go out of their eyes as they blocked the Texans’ last-ditch field-goal attempt.

Here are five things we learned as Kansas City continued its quest for glory.

1. Defense Special teams win championships

Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images

Special teams coordinator Dave Toub’s unit set the tempo for this game, starting with Nikko Remigio’s 63-yard return of the opening kickoff. That set up the Chiefs’ first field goal, establishing a lead the team would never relinquish.

The play put the Texans in a pressure cooker, forcing them to keep pace with Kansas City. It created a claustrophobic atmosphere in which the visiting team could not operate effectively.

Then in the final two minutes, the unit did just what it had done against the Denver Broncos in Week 10. As Houston lined up for a last-ditch field goal attempt, safety Justin Reid flew off the line to attract the attention of the Texans’ blockers, opening the way for linebacker Leo Chenal to block the attempt.

Then with seconds remaining, punter Matt Araiza skillfully chewed up as much time as possible in the end zone, deliberately allowing a safety the Chiefs could afford — rather than opening the door for a dangerous punt return.

Meanwhile, placekicker Harrison Butker scored on all five of his kicks.

On Saturday, Toub and his unit put on a clinic.

2. Bright lights are for the biggest stars

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

In what has become an annual tradition, Travis Kelce took his game to another level in the postseason, turning in his best game of the season as he and quarterback Patrick Mahomes did their impersonation of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, connecting in the biggest moments to keep the Texans in the rear-view mirror.

One of them might be one of the best throws in Mahomes’ illustrious career.

Kansas City’s players are household names for a reason: the bigger the stage — and the brighter the lights — the better they play.

Now that Kansas City has gotten Johnny Cage out of the way, it can focus on its upcoming fight against Goro. You can bet Kelce and Mahomes will be ready to take down whichever four-armed monster comes up next.

3. The pass rush could be a sleeping giant

Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images

You can say that Houston’s offensive line is horrible — and maybe it is — but I’m not taking away any of the Chiefs’ flowers on this one: the defensive line deserves enormous credit for what it did in the trenches.

Defensive end George Karlaftis collected three sacks. It was his best postseason performance. He’s now recorded seven sacks and 12 quarterback hits in eight playoff games.

Extrapolating these numbers over an entire season, that’s at almost 15 sacks and 26 quarterback hits — which isn’t too shabby by any standard. Chris Jones, Charles Omenihu and Tershawn Wharton also registered sacks. Heck, even Felix Anudike-Uzomah notched one!

This unit showed it can take over games.

4. Don’t hate the player, hate the game

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

On social media, many outraged individuals are claiming NFL officials rescued the Chiefs yet again, enabling the evil Kansas City empire to march forward, continuing to lay waste to the villages of the league’s innocent victims.

Houston defensive end Will Anderson Jr. turned it up to 11.

Let’s not be overly dramatic, Mr. Anderson.

The referees did not rob the Texans of anything. The first quarter’s roughing-the-passer flag against Anderson (and the third-quarter unsportsmanlike conduct call against Henry To’oTo’o after Mahomes had begun his slide) were both penalties under the rules.

On the first, the ball was already out — but Anderson continued forward to hit Mahomes in the head area. It doesn’t have to be helmet-to-helmet for it to be a penalty.

On the late hit, Mahomes had already begun his slide. The defender led with his helmet. That’s also a penalty.

If you think the calls were soft… fine. You can argue they were borderline — but they were far from egregious. They certainly weren’t part of some conspiracy to help the Chiefs win.

If you think the rules are wrong… fine. But the rules are the rules. If there are loopholes — or ways to use them to your advantage — then every player (and team) should do exactly that until the league decides to change them. It’s no different than a player drawing a charge in basketball — or baseball teams employing a shift before that was outlawed.

Nobody uses the rules to his benefit better than Mahomes does. Personally, I relish the outrage it causes others.

Why not lean into our villainy? Let’s have some fun with it!

5. Stage 2 of the Chiefs’ mission is accomplished

Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post

Was this the flashiest win in Chiefs history?

Nope.

Did it have to be?

Nope.

Kansas City was out there like Bachman-Turner Overdrive: taking care of business, every day and in every way — and if necessary, in overtime. As a result, the Chiefs are moving on to play in their seventh-straight AFC Championship.

Three Two more wins until immortality.