The 2015 AFC South Champion Houston Texans (9-7) will host the Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) at NRG Stadium on Saturday, January 9 in the AFC Wild Card Game. Kickoff is set for 3:35 p.m. CT on ESPN/ABC.
The Texans earned their third divisional title in the last five seasons after closing the year with a 7-2 record over their final nine games. This will be the franchise's fifth playoff game (2-2) and third at home (2-0) since 2002. Houston was led all season by DE J.J. Watt on defense and WR DeAndre Hopkins on offense.
Watt finished the season leading the NFL in sacks (17.5), tackles for loss (29) and quarterback hits (50). He also recorded 76 tackles (57 solo), eight passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery while helping Houston transform into one of the NFL's top defenses. The Texans finished third in the NFL in yards allowed per game (310.2), third in pass yards allowed per game (210.4), fifth in sacks (franchise-record 45.0), and tied for seventh in points allowed per game (19.6).
Offensively, the Texans used four starting quarterbacks in 2015, but were led by one of the NFL's best young receivers in Hopkins. The 23-year-old finished with the third-most receptions (111), fourth-most receiving yards (1,521) and the most receiving touchdowns (11) in a single season in franchise history. He became the third wide receiver in NFL history at age 23-or-younger with 1,400 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in a season and is the only NFL player with four games with 100-or-more receiving yards under four different quarterbacks in the same season.
Kansas City enters the playoffs on a 10-game winning streak after beating the Raiders, 23-17, in Week 17. QB Alex Smith (3,486 passing yards and 20 touchdowns) and WR Jeremy Maclin (87 catches, 1,088 yards and eight touchdowns) have enjoyed career years in 2015 while defensively the Chiefs are led by OLB Justin Houston (7.5 sacks) and OLB Tamba Hali (6.5 sacks).
This will be the second time the Texans face the Chiefs at home this season. Houston dropped the season opener to the Chiefs, 27-20, at NRG Stadium back in September.
You can see the full depth chart below.
