3 winners and 2 losers from Chiefs’ 42-34 win over the Texans

It looked like the Chiefs were going to run away with this one in the first half. The Texans fought back in the second half, though, to make the Chiefs’ Sunday Night Football win over the Texans an entertaining one to the very end.

Texans narrowed Chiefs lead to 26-20 with a perfect 48-yard pass to Will Fuller, but Kansas City ran away with it after that. An Alex Smith pass to DeAnthony Thomas extended the Chiefs’ lead to 32-20. Tyreek Hill tacked on an 82-yard punt return that put the Chiefs up 39-20 and put the game away.

The Chiefs remain undefeated. They’re the only team in the NFL that has yet to lose this season.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from the Chiefs’ big win over the Texans.

Literally, the Chiefs won, making them last undefeated team left standing.

Smith is playing his best football. He finished with 324 yards and three touchdowns. The defense is a strength, and the pass rush brought down Deshaun Watson three times. And special teams, particularly returner Tyreek Hill, is a real threat.

Kansas City managed to put up 39 points despite losing Travis Kelce, Justin Houston, Chris Conley and others due to injury.

The Chiefs look like the team to beat — not just in the AFC, but in the entire league.

Look, Watson obviously didn’t win the game, but it wasn’t for a lack of success on his part. Watson finished with 197 yards and five touchdowns. After a D’onta Foreman fumble, Watson saved a touchdown with a tackle worthy of an elite strong safety.

That play might have sparked something in his teammates. The next drive ended in the Texans’ first score of the night, a perfect ball to DeAndre Hopkins in the back of the end zone.

He hit Will Fuller for two touchdowns, including that 48-yard dime, which was a thing of beauty.

And look at his awareness.

Even with the game out of reach, Watson still hit DeAndre Hopkins for a 34-yard score and another 1-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Watson threw five touchdowns when it was all said and done.

Watson looks consistently poised and cool under pressure. He steps up and makes big plays when his team needs him most. It may not translate to wins right away, but Watson sure does look like the quarterback of the future, which is something the Texans have needed for a long time.

All we’ve heard about this season with the Chiefs is Kareem Hunt. But Charcandrick West stole his thunder on Sunday night.

West only had one yard on the ground and two catches for 12 yards, but he had two receiving touchdowns for the Chiefs. And he celebrated accordingly.

His touchdown dance was a win, also.

After Watson hit Fuller for that 48-yard touchdown, Marcus Peters was not happy. Justin Houston had to try to calm him down on the sideline.

Peters had two tackles against the Texans.

It was a terrible night for injuries for both teams. The Texans suffered two catastrophic losses on defense. J.J. Watt will miss the rest of the season with a tibial plateau fracture. Whitney Mercilus also left the game early, and he was ruled out with a chest injury.

Those are painful losses, but the Chiefs got hit hard, too. The Chiefs lost safety Steven Terrell to a concussion on the first play of the game. Travis Kelce was evaluated for a concussion in the first half, but was able to return to the game. He was then removed from play again to be checked for a head injury. Justin Houston hurt his calf in the fourth quarter, and Chris Conley was carted off the field late in the game with an Achilles injury. It was a fun game to watch, especially the second half, but the injuries put a damper on it.