As the Texans chase a division title, the Chiefs are simply trying to stay in the playoff hunt

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Houston Texans visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night squarely in the fight for a division title.

Kansas City is simply fighting for its playoff life.

It's a strange situation for Chiefs coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the rest of a bunch that has won nine straight AFC West titles, appeared in the last seven conference championship games and reached the past three Super Bowls. The Chiefs are 6-6 with five games to go, and they may need to win out — and get some help — just to qualify for this postseason.

“We just have to execute at a higher level. We've done a lot of good things but we've made a lot of mistakes that we haven't been able to overcome,” Mahomes said. “At the end of the day, you have to go prove it. You have to prove it on game day.”

They've proven they can still play at an elite level, at least occasionally, like they did in wins over the Lions and Colts. But they've also had a propensity for committing too many penalties, dropping too many passes and blowing too many late leads.

They can fault all three last week against Dallas, when they blew a 21-20 fourth-quarter lead in an eventual 31-28 defeat.

“It's about consistency,” Chiefs center Creed Humphrey said. “It's about coming in game day and executing, doing your job, things like that. The ship's not sinking or anything. We're still right where we need to be.”

That might be a stretch.

The Texans (7-5), by contrast, are closing in on exactly where they want to be. They've won four consecutive games for the first time since a nine-game streak in 2018, and are now just a game behind Indianapolis and Jacksonville in the AFC South. Keep the momentum going and Houston could become just the fifth team since 1990 to start 0-3 and qualify for the playoffs.

“I think it all goes back to preparation, and how confident you walk in those stadiums,” Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “Our preparation has to be even better than last week, because every game gets bigger and bigger. So, it's exciting times. I think everybody knows what's at stake. So it's just trying to rise up to those levels and go 1-0 every play.”

The Chiefs put left tackle Josh Simmons on injured reserve following left wrist surgery this week, while right tackle Trey Smith has an ailing ankle and right tackle Jawaan Taylor a triceps injury. That means Kansas City will have three fill-ins — Wanya Morris, Mike Caliendo and Jaylon Moore — protecting Mahomes against the NFL's top-ranked defense.

The Chiefs aren't without problems beyond the penalties, especially on defense. They have only managed 22 sacks, better than five other teams, and they have produced 11 turnovers, a total that is better than just three teams.

The reason Houston has been so successful in recent weeks is quite simple, at least according to coach DeMeco Ryans: “The common thread for us winning is our players making the plays. That’s what it’s all about.

“Our guys have done a great job of finding a way to make, whether that’s special teams, offense, everybody stepping up, making a play when we need to make a play,” Ryans said. “That won’t change this week.”

Wide receiver Nico Collins had 98 yards receiving last week to give him 4,025 in his career, making him only the fifth player in Texans history to eclipse 4,000. Collins also had his first rushing TD on a 7-yard run in the fourth quarter that put the Texans on top.

“Nico is such a valuable piece to our team,” Ryans said. “He’s humble; there’s not an ego with Nico, even though he’s one of the best receivers in the league. He doesn’t walk around that way, like somebody owes him something. He’s a very humble guy, respectful guy. He brings it every single day that he’s working.”

One of the biggest culprits of the inconsistent play by Kansas City this season has been penalties. Only four teams have surrendered more penalty yardage than the Chiefs, and several flags ruined any chance of a comeback in last week’s loss in Dallas.

“You don’t want to get out of your game. You don’t want to let calls affect what you do on the field,” Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie said. “We have to play football. If they throw a flag, they throw a flag. You have to wash it away and get ready for the next play.”

AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed to this report.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) leaps for a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) leaps over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Houston Texans safety Calen Bullock (2) celebrates after intercepting a Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen pass in the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson, right, is tackled by Buffalo Bills' Taron Johnson (7) and Cole Bishop (24) in the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rory McIlroy survived a bizarre encounter with a banana peel lodged in a tree to shoot a 3-under 68 on Saturday at the Australian Open.

His round left him nine strokes behind leader Danish player Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, who made birdie putts on the 17th and 18th for a 66 and a 54-hole total of 14-under 199.

Cam Smith, the 2022 British Open champion who ended his streak of missing seven consecutive cuts this year on Friday, also shot 66 Saturday and was tied for second, two strokes off the lead.

On the par-4 second hole, McIlroy missed the fairway and his ball ended up under a small tree and under a banana peel which had apparently been thrown away by a spectator.

Golfers are allowed to move loose impediments as long as the player’s ball doesn’t move in the process. If the ball had shifted as a result of trying to move a loose item, the player incurs a penalty.

So McIlroy tried in vain to hit his ball through the banana peel and the branches and back on to the fairway. But it only traveled about 30 feet and he ended up making a double bogey six.

“It was sort of a double whammy — it was in the tough grass, and under a banana skin,” McIlroy said. “But I shouldn't have been there in the first place.”

The Northern Irishman made birdie on the next hole and after another bogey and birdie to complete the front nine, shot a 1-over 35.

On the back nine which was played in often steady drizzle, McIlroy had four birdies, including on the final two holes as he had done on Friday, when he also shot 68.

"I didn’t get off to a great start, but I played well from there,” said McIlroy, who made five birdies on his final 10 holes Saturday.

“I am probably going to be too far behind to challenge tomorrow,” he added. “But I’d love the course to keep getting firmer and firmer . . . and if it does I think I could go out there and shoot something very low, 8 or 9 under.”

After all his missed cuts, Smith, with a bit of an edge to his comments, said that it was "nice being in contention.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve had this feeling to be honest, Smith said. “I love that it’s the Australian Open. I couldn’t think of a better place to get back into form. It would shut a few people up."

McIlroy, whose pre-tournament news conference included comments that Royal Melbourne was not the best sandbelt course in the city, had a wild opening round on Thursday containing six bogeys and five birdies.

McIlroy, the Race to Dubai winner and who completed his career Grand Slam when he won the Masters this year, is making his first appearance at the Australian Open since 2015. He won it in 2013.

The winner of the Australian Open, which is the second event on the European tour's new schedule of tournaments for late this year and 2026, receives a Masters exemption next year. And the top three finishers not already exempt will qualify for the British Open in 2026 at Royal Birkdale.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Cam Smith of Australia plays an approach shot on the 9th Hole during the first round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Cam Smith of Australia plays an approach shot on the 18th Hole during the first round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland (centre) reacts after completing his round with Adam Scott of Australia (Left) and Min Woo Lee of Australia (Right) during the first round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Adam Scott of Australia on the 9th Hole after completing his 1st round during the first round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland reacts during the first round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays an approach shot on the 10th hole during the first round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)