Teams already locked into the NFL playoff bracket will clash when the Houston Texans battle the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday. It will mark the second of three games in a 10-day span for both teams. Houston is coming off a 20-12 win over the Miami Dolphins, while Kansas City defeated the Cleveland Browns, 21-7, in Week 15. The Texans (9-5), who have already clinched the AFC South title, are riding a two-game winning streak. The Chiefs (13-1), who have clinched their ninth consecutive AFC West championship, the second-longest streak in NFL history, have won four in a row. Patrick Mahomes (ankle) was a full participant at practice this week and will start at quarterback for Kansas City.
Kickoff from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., is set for 1 p.m. ET. Kansas City is a 3.5-point favorite in the latest Texans vs. Chiefs odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 42.5. Before locking in any Chiefs vs. Texans picks, make sure to check out the NFL predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine expert Larry Hartstein, considering his mastery of picks involving Houston.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed working for Pro Football Focus. He tied for 52nd place (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, going 53-34-3 ATS. Hartstein's weekly Vegas contest selections form the basis of his NFL best bets column, which is 79-48-2 (62.2%, +25.95 units) since its inception in 2022. He's also an amazing 46-30-4 (+1299) on his last 80 NFL picks involving the Texans. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen huge returns.
Now, Hartstein has locked in on Texans vs. Chiefs and just revealed his coveted NFL picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NFL odds and NFL betting lines for Chiefs vs. Texans:
- Chiefs vs. Texans spread: Kansas City -3.5
- Chiefs vs. Texans over/under: 42.5 points
- Chiefs vs. Texans money line: Kansas City -187, Houston +157
- HOU: Texans are 6-8 against the spread this season
- KC: Chiefs are 3-7 against the spread in their last 10 games
- Chiefs vs. Texans picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Chiefs vs. Texans streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Chiefs can cover
Even without eye-popping numbers this season, Mahomes continues to guide Kansas City to wins and he will look for his fifth game in a row without a pick. He has dominated the Texans in his career with nine touchdowns (eight passing, one rushing) with one interception and a 115.5 rating in three career starts against them. He has thrown two or more touchdown passes in each start against Houston.
Tight end Travis Kelce will look for his fifth game in a row with four or more catches. He had 10 catches for 105 yards in his last meeting against the Texans. Kelce ranks third among tight ends with 84 receptions this season. For his career, he has 991 receptions for 12,037 yards (12.1 average) and 76 touchdowns in 172 career games. In six career games against Houston, he has 39 receptions for 451 yards and three touchdowns. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why the Texans can cover
Quarterback C.J. Stroud powers the Houston offense. He completed 18 of 26 attempts (69.2%) for 131 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and a 106.4 rating last week. Stroud will look for his third game in a row with no interceptions and a 95-plus rating. He has not thrown an interception in three of his past four road games. He needs 252 passing yards to become the ninth quarterback ever with 3,500 or more passing yards in each of his first two seasons.
Running back Joe Mixon had 56 yards from scrimmage last week against Miami with five catches. He has 50-plus yards from scrimmage in 10 of his 11 games this season. Mixon has played well on the road in 2024 and has 100-plus rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in each of his six road games. He needs 90 rushing yards for his fifth career season with 1,000 or more rushing yards. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Chiefs vs. Texans picks
Hartstein has analyzed Texans vs. Chiefs from every possible angle, and while we can tell you he's leaning Under the total, he has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. Find out what it is, and which team to back, at SportsLine.
So who wins Texans vs. Chiefs on Saturday, and what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread hit hard? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Texans vs. Chiefs spread to back, all from the expert who is 46-30 on picks involving the Texans, and find out.
