Chiefs-Texans final score: KC begs Houston to blow them out and lose 19-12

Well that was ... not good. The Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Houston Texans, 19-12.

The Chiefs had a lot of things go wrong but this one is on the offense. The Chiefs turned it over three times - bad snap from Mitch Morse led to a JJ Watt fumble recovery, Spencer Ware fumble and then an Alex Smith fumble before half.

The Chiefs offense was B-A-D. Let’s not sugarcoat it. This was an offense that was supposed to carry the team when the defense couldn’t but that was not the case today. Alex Smith was really bad. Jeremy Maclin dropped passes. I mean, Maclin, the most sure-handed receiver, dropping passes? It was a weird game.

The Chiefs defense wasn’t that bad. They had a rough start with a couple of big plays to DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller and then the Texans rode the clock down in a fourth quarter drive but this is not the defense’s fault. The run defense was better than I thought and they limited the big plays.

The Chiefs special teams was very good. A bright spot! Tyreek Hill did a great job on the returns with a 105-yard return that was called back due to penalty while Hill and Demarcus Robinson both had nice tackles as gunners.

Final stats are here.

The full Marcus Peters experience

I think it was Sam Mellinger who called it the full Marcus Peters experience but we got it all today:

Marcus Peters (and Eric Berry) gives up 53-yard pass to Will Fuller.

Marcus Peters picks off Brock Osweiler in the end zone.

Marcus Peters flagged for taunting. 15 yards.

Marcus Peters picks off Osweiler again.

For the record, the taunting call was ridiculous. He did the Mutumbo finger wag and that was a 15-yard penalty from the refs. Why is that ridiculous? Because the NFL used JJ Watt finger wagging in a promo EARLIER THAT DAY!

Derrick Johnson is the Chiefs pass rush

I’m not sure if RG Jeff Allen’s responsibility was DJ but watch as DJ goes right past him for the sack. (I’m told it wasn’t Jeff’s responsibility. My bad!) This is what the Chiefs need more of with Justin Houston out - pressure up the middle.

I don’t want to slight Tamba Hali, who made some plays too. Tamba at this point though is a complementary player. The Chiefs need their star, Justin Houston, back in uniform.

Rare Jeremy Maclin drop(s)

Jeremy Maclin dropped a pass for the first time in forever. He may have dropped two depending on what we define a drop.

PFF has it as the first drop in over 50 targets. He’s been the most sure-handed receiver in the past year.

More notes

Dontari Poe was more active in this game after a quiet Week 1. He was in the backfield a few times.

Dee Ford did a great job on a third and short to make a tackle in open space to force fourth down (which the Texans then converted).

Cairo Santos tied a career long with a 53-yard field goal with plenty of room to spare.

The Chiefs didn’t convert a third down until late in the second quarter.