Texans vs. Chiefs: What Went Wrong In Another Heartbreaking Houston Loss

The Houston Texans missed another opportunity to pull off the biggest upset of the season, this time to the Chiefs.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans (1-12-1) came into the game as a 14-point underdog to the Kansas City Chiefs (11-3). But similar to their performance against the Dallas Cowboys, the Texans stayed competitive and nearly completed an improbable upset.

"That team out there who has won only one game, they are not playing like that," coach Lovie Smith said. "They are showing up every day, taking our coaching and trying to get better. We gave ourselves a chance to win the game at the end."

Houston fought hard. And given their effort, the Texans may have played their best game of the season. They had a chance to record their second win until the 5:34 mark of overtime when second-year quarterback Davis Mills committed a costly fumble.

Mills' turnover led to Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon recording a game-winning 26-yard touchdown that led to the Texans sustaining a 30-24 overtime loss.

With the loss, the Texans dropped their eighth consecutive game. But for the second straight week, Houston recorded a heartbreaking loss in the final minutes.

Despite his late-game fumble, Smith does not believe Mills' blunder should overshadow his performance.

"It was a tight game," Smith said. "Our quarterbacks allowed us to stay right in the game — but we just needed to finish. I know the quarterback position has been talked about a lot. But there are a lot of improvements we can make throughout [the roster]."

Picking Up The Pieces Without Dameon Pierce:

The Texans played their first game without rookie running back Dameon Pierce. Houston found modest success on the ground with 94 yards on 28 carries. But Mills did lead the offense until his late-game fumble.

Mills finished with 121 yards on 12-of-24 passing. He threw a pair of touchdowns that helped the Texans surpass their average of 16.2 points. And he also recorded the Texans' lone rushing touchdown in the absence of Pierce. 

The Texans began the game sticking to their dual quarterback system. Veteran Jeff Driskel took the first snap under center, while Houston interchanged quarterback often in the first half.

But once Mills began finding his groove to help the Texans move the chains, the Texans stuck to the Stanford product for most of the second half.

"It was tough," Mills said. "I figure I could pick up a few more yards with my legs and the defender made a really good play. It was a critical moment in the game when all we needed was a field goal to win. It is always the guy you don't see."

The foot injury Pierce suffered in Dallas ended his rookie campaign. He rushed for 939 yards on 220 carries and five touchdowns through the 13 games.

Best Defensive performance of the season?:

The Texans played a solid game on the offensive side of the ball, but their defense gave Houston a chance to record their second win of the season.

The Texans played an aggressive style of play that led to several penalties. But Houston's defensive production prevented the Chiefs from finding their offensive groove.

They pressured Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on several occasions and sacked the former league MVP twice. Houston's defense also recorded a pair of fumbles that led to scoring drives for the offense.

"I thought the guys fought hard," Smith said. "The takeaways always give you a chance. I understand that it is still a loss. But we are going to continue showing up. Next, on to Tennessee on a short week."

Quick Hits: 

- The Chiefs had a rough start to the game. During their first two drives, the Texans held the Chiefs to 25 yards on 10 plays. The highlight of the first two defensive drives for the Texans came when Christian Kirksey recorded a sack on Mahomes.

- The Texans held a 14-13 lead at halftime. Prior to Mills' 17-yard rushing touchdown, the second-year quarterback connected with rookie tight end Teagan Quitoriano for Houston's first touchdown. 

- Despite moving Tytus Howard to left guard in the absence of Kenyon Green, the Texans' offensive line did not give up a sack. Driskel's lone sack came due to his failed rushing attempt. 

Final Words:

"We are not going to the playoffs. The last two teams we played, I believe they can win it all. To see where we can be. But I expect our guys to show up. Eventually, we will get over the hump." — Smith

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You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

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