Travis Kelce Texans e1737249423745 Kansas City ChiefsJay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images

Regular-season Travis Kelce was unusually mediocre. Playoff Travis Kelce, as usual, was monumental. The future Hall of Fame tight end had seven receptions for 117 yards and an important fourth-quarter touchdown to lift the Chiefs over the Texans, 23-14, in an AFC divisional playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday.

“You know 8-7 is going to show up whenever it’s a big-time moment and he did that,” said quarterback Patrick Mahomes, referring to Kelce’s uniform number. “Everybody was asking, ‘Where’s Travis Kelce at?’ I think he showed the world where he’s at.”

He’s at No. 1 on the NFL’s all-time postseason list with a ninth 100-yard game, eclipsing Jerry Rice (eight) for most in NFL history. Kelce also joined Rice as the second individual in league annals to surpass 2,000 postseason receiving yards. And with girlfriend Taylor Swift next to WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark in a stadium suite, Kelce dominated.

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Again and again on frigid Saturday night, Kelce found soft spots in the Houston secondary, including a season-long 49-yard reception that set up Kareem Hunt’s second-quarter touchdown. And when a falling-forward Mahomes needed him most, the quarterback fired a dart that stuck on Kelce’s chest for an 11-yard touchdown that gave the Chiefs a 20-12 lead and critical breathing room early in the fourth quarter.

“The goal is to continue to move on in the playoffs,” said Mahomes, who registered his 16th career postseason win, tying Joe Montana for No. 2 on the all-time list. Kansas City advances to host the winner of Sunday’s showdown between Baltimore and Buffalo, the Chiefs’ seventh consecutive berth in the AFC Championship Game.

They got there with thanks to Mahomes, Kelce and a stellar pass rush that sacked C.J. Stroud eight times, three by George Karlaftis. Ending the pivotal Houston drive following Kelce’s touchdown, Karlaftis beat Dalton Schultz off the edge and dropped Stroud for a 16-yard loss on fourth down. One play prior, former Texan Justin Reid blitzed untouched to force a third-down incompletion.

Houston dominated statistically most of the game, but the cold-weather kicking game doomed the Texans. Ka’imi Fairbairn missed three kicks, an early 55-yarder redirected by 17-mph winds, an extra point that would’ve knotted the game at 13 following a Joe Mixon touchdown, and Leo Chenal’s fourth-quarter blocked field goal. Chenal preserved a win earlier in the season by blocking a game-winning Denver field-goal attempt.

Kansas City picked up another impressive milestone on Saturday, win No. 300 in the illustrious career of head coach Andy Reid – lifting him into an elite group with Don Shula, Bill Belichick and George Halas among the only coaches to reach the mark. Mahomes said afterward Reid cares about another number even more.

“I know that means a lot to him — 300 wins is crazy. But I think he’s trying to get the 302 at the end of this year.”

For more information on the Chiefs and Texans, visit the Kansas City and Houston team pages at ProFootballPost.com.


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By Zak Gilbert

Since his freshman year at the University of Colorado, Zak Gilbert has worked 30 years in sports, including 18 NFL seasons. He's spent time with four NFL teams, serving as head of communications for both the Raiders and Browns. A veteran of nine Super Bowls, he most recently worked six seasons in the NFL's New York league office.

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