Chiefs beat Texans 30-0 for first playoff win since 1994

The Chiefs wanted to start fast Saturday. The victor will move on to the divisional round, where they’ll meet either the Denver Broncos or the New England Patriots next weekend. Then Knile Davis made one cut and ran 106 yards to the house, and the air went out of the stadium.

The Kansas City defense took over after that, forcing Hoyer into a fumble and a three of his career-high four interceptions before halftime to help the Chiefs (12-5) take a 13-0 lead.

Get ready for today’s first AFC Wild card game on the Saturday NFL postseason schedule.

The shutout win was the first in the National Football League playoffs since January 8, 2006, when the Panthers beat the Giants, 23-0.

“You never expect to start a game like that, but we feel like we can play all three phases of the game”, Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith told ESPN after the game. “So we’ve got to create turnovers to give us a chance to win”. Both teams have the defense to topple the offensive attacks of the other team.

On the season, the Houston Texans average 239.6 yards in passing and 108.2 yards in rushing.

When Santos added another 49-yard field goal a few minutes later, Houston found itself in a 13-0 hole midway through the second quarter.

Hoyer fumbled and threw an interception in the first quarter.

Brian Hoyer has turned into a turnover machine in his first career playoff start. Instead, Watt got stuffed for a one-yard loss, and Brian Hoyer came in to throw a pick on the next play.

The Texans are perhaps this season’s most improbable playoff team after winning seven of their last nine games to rebound from a awful start to finish 9-7 and return to the postseason for the first time since 2012. Once again, the Texans will be playing from behind against Kansas City. Much like back on September 13th the Chiefs must worry the most about the front 7 of the Houston Texans as their defense led by All Pro DE JJ Watt are one of the NFL’s best units.

But, hey, the Chiefs played a solid road game.

They did it with four different quarterbacks and after losing star running back Arian Foster to a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in October.

Reason to mope: IfJeremy Maclin’s right knee injury is significant, it is a serious loss for the Chiefs’ offense. The Texans nearly immediately ruled Maclin out with a knee injury.

“I’m going to go out and do what I’ve been doing”.

Houston had his leg buckle on one play and he went to the sidelines, which freaked everyone out.

“We had a good feeling this whole week that we could make something happen”.

Watt limped off the field after trying to rush Smith, but his right foot slipped on the NRG Stadium turf and he collapsed on all fours.

“That’s just a dirty play”, Watt said.

The drive continued, and ended with Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith hooking up with Maclin’s replacement, Chris Conley, on a 9 yard td strike.

Bryant, who had been called out by Roethlisberger during the week for lackluster play heading into the postseason, somehow secured the ball while somersaulting out of the end zone to cap an 82-yard drive that perched the Bengals and their anemic offense on the verge of a first-round exit for the fifth straight year. Smith was 17 of 22 for 190 yards and one interception.

Fortunately for Houston, however, the Chiefs’ quarterback was also feeling charitable – at least briefly.