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Chiefs’ playoff hopes dwindle as Patrick Mahomes throws three interceptions in loss to Texans
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In an era where explosive offense is key to success, “Sunday Night Football” was a defensive masterclass by both the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs.
However, the Texans, the number one defense in the league, showcased why they’re top of the heap this season in a 20-10 victory on the road.
This game had massive playoff implications for both teams, as the Texans are now 8-5 after winning their fifth straight game, while the Chiefs fall below .500 at 6-7 with only four games remaining on the schedule.
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C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans looks to pass the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs during the third quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Kansas City – winners of three straight AFC championships – now sits 10th in the conference and faces just a 16% chance of reaching the postseason.
It didn’t matter how hostile the environment was, or the fact that the Chiefs were treating this game like it was the playoffs. Houston’s defense delivered as it has week after week, and it started immediately in this one.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense ran only 14 total plays on their first three drives, all of which ended with punts. Then, Mahomes threw an interception on a pass intended for Juju Smith-Schuster, as Jalen Pitre jumped the route, deflected the pass and managed to find it in the air to secure the ball to his chest as he hit the ground.
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Meanwhile, C.J. Stroud and the Texans’ offense, a group that struggled in the playoffs at Arrowhead Stadium last year, did well in the eyes of pressure on their first few drives.
After securing the first points of the game with a field goal on their second drive, Stroud orchestrated a 90-yard march down the field for the game’s first touchdown — a nine-yard pass to rookie running back Woody Marks to make it a 10-0 game. A key play on that drive was a second-and-7 pass after escaping pressure, where Nico Collins got open for his quarterback and took his catch 53 yards to set up the Texans in great position in the red zone.
As the half ended 10-0, the Texans had to know that Mahomes and the Chiefs would come out firing in the third quarter. That doesn’t mean they were entirely prepared for it.
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs carries the ball past Danielle Hunter #55 and Azeez Al-Shaair #0 of the Houston Texans during the third quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
After forcing a three-and-out, Mahomes finally got something going, as the Chiefs went eight plays and 56 yards for their own touchdown. It was Kareem Hunt breaking a Danielle Hunter tackle behind the line on a fourth-and-1 play at the goal line. Hunt punched it in and it was a new ball game.
The Chiefs would tie it with a Harrison Butker 36-yard field goal, but the score would stay locked at 10-10 as both teams continued to make fantastic defensive efforts.
The turning point in this contest, though, came when the Chiefs decided to get greedy on fourth-and-1 from their own 31-yard line. Andy Reid has always trusted Mahomes to get the job done, but he wasn’t able to as his pass for Rashee Rice went incomplete.
Houston flipped momentum, and they made it work in their favor.
Woody Marks of the Houston Texans scores a receiving touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Stroud made a tremendous play on third-and-3 as Chiefs star defensive lineman Chris Jones, who already sacked him in this game, was barreling down looking for another. Stroud worked to his right, eluding Jones and fired a strike to Jayden Higgins to extend the drive.
A few plays later, Dare Ogunbowale, who rarely sees the field other than special teams, scored from five yards out after Marks came out of the game after a big hit.
Now 17-10 in favor of Houston, Mahomes and the Chiefs were even more desperate as the clock continued to tick. But once again, they weren’t able to get the job done on fourth down as Rashee Rice dropped what looked like a good ball that would’ve kept the drive alive.
The game-sealing play was the Texans’ third interception on Mahomes, as he threw a ball behind his trusty tight end Travis Kelce. While it was a catchable pass, Kelce had trouble hauling it in, and it hung up too much as linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair snagged it to flip the field once again.
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Marks picked up a crucial first down on the following drive and the Texans walked the clock down until Ka’imi Fairbairn buried the final dagger, as his made field goal drained the last amount of hope for this game on the Chiefs’ end.
In the box score, Mahomes had a brutal performance with 12-of-30 for 131 yards and his three picks. He was the team’s leading rusher on the ground, too, with 59 yards on seven carries.
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For the Texans, Stroud was 15-of-31 for 203 yards and one touchdown with Collins finishing four for 121 yards on his eight targets. Marks had 65 rushing yards on 24 carries as well.
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Today is a very important and decisive clash between India and Pakistan to reach the semi-finals in the Under-19 World Cup 2026.
This important match will be played today, Sunday, in Zimbabwe, which will start at 12:30 pm according to Pakistani time and 1 pm according to Indian time.
This match is the last match of the Super Six stage and one team is yet to be decided for the semi-finals, England from Group 2 has already qualified for the semi-finals, while the other team will be India or Pakistan.
India is currently in a better position with six points and its net run rate is 3.337, it is very easy for India, it only has to win the match and it will qualify for the semi-finals.
But on the other hand, Pakistan has four points and its net run rate is 1.484, which is significantly lower than India. Pakistan not only needs to win this match but also by a large margin to equal India in points and also surpass them in net run rate.
If Pakistan scores 300 runs batting first, it will need to win by at least 85 runs. If Pakistan bowls first and restricts India to around 200 runs, the target will have to be achieved in 31.5 overs.
If India scores 251 runs, Pakistan will have to achieve this target in around 33.2 overs to make it to the semi-finals.
It should be noted that this match will not be just about winning or losing but will be a test of runs, overs and nerves where a small slip-up can knock one team out of the World Cup.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The judge in Alabama men’s basketball player Charles Bediako‘s eligibility lawsuit against the NCAA has recused himself from the case.
Tuscaloosa Circuit Court Judge James Roberts filed the order Wednesday, according to court documents. AL.com first reported Roberts’ recusal.
The case was reassigned to Judge Daniel Pruet, an Alabama graduate who is overseeing the murder case involving former Crimson Tide player Darius Miles.
The NCAA filed a motion for recusal Tuesday, noting Roberts’ donations to the university as well as public perception that his relationship with Alabama athletics could alter his judgment in the case. Roberts was listed as a donor on the Crimson Tide Foundation’s website.
“Courts in Alabama and beyond have widely recognized that a mere appearance of partiality is sufficient to require the recusal of a trial judge,” the NCAA wrote. “This appearance can be compounded by widespread media and public scrutiny questioning the trial court’s impartiality. Despite the NCAA’s confidence that the Court can disregard his connections to the University of Alabama and its athletics programs, recusal is still necessary to protect these proceedings from an appearance of impropriety.”
Bediako’s attorneys did not oppose the motion.
Bediako is suing the NCAA in an attempt to regain college eligibility despite leaving school and entering the 2023 NBA draft. He went undrafted but signed a two-way NBA contract and played the past three seasons in the G League. Roberts granted a temporary restraining order last week that allows Bediako to play for the Crimson Tide, at least until a hearing on an injunction can be held.
No. 23 Alabama plays at No. 19 Florida on Sunday.
The NCAA and several college coaches, including Florida’s Todd Golden, have strongly opposed Bediako’s return to college basketball.
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Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson was fined $50,000 for “aggressively pursuing, berating and making inadvertent contact with a game official,” the NBA announced Saturday.
The league’s announcement said the incident happened with 10:59 left in the fourth quarter of Cleveland’s 126-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns Friday.
Atkinson was assessed his second technical foul of the game when he stormed the court after a no-call against Sam Merrill for driving on Collin Gillespie after he bumped into an official before being escorted off and ejected from the game.
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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts during the second half in Game 4 of a first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat April 28, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)
Atkinson whipped his arm against the nearby referee before the whistle was blown.
Atkinson ripped the officials in a postgame news conference.
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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers during Game 2 of the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena in Cleveland May 6, 2025. (David Richard-Imagn Images)
“We had one free throw after three quarters against a team that [is 26th in fouls],” Atkinson said. “And the second free throw we got was after a flop. I’m not pleased. I thought the game got out of hand, quite honestly. Parts of the game seemed circus-like, quite honestly. I don’t know if that’s what we want as a league.
“Certain characters in this league take liberties, and we don’t stand up to them. And the game turns into reviews, challenges, go to the monitor for 20 minutes when we’re just trying to play basketball. I don’t think it’s good for the league, and I know it wasn’t good for us tonight. Thought they let the game get out of hand.”
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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts during the first half against the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena in Cleveland May 4, 2025. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)
The Cavaliers fell to 29-21, while Phoenix improved to 30-19.
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