Expert picks Chiefs to defeat Houston Texans in Week 1

Kansas City Chiefs expert speaks about upcoming game against Houston Texans

The Houston Texans will be facing the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season, and when the two teams face off, it will be the start of a whole new era of Texans football. The Texans will be without DeAndre Hopkins for the first time since the start of the the end of the 2012 season as he joined the franchise in 2013.

This new era of Houston Texans football consists of Deshaun Watson being secured with the franchise for the foreseeable future, and this is the chance for the Texans to put the worst loss in franchise history behind them and shock the football world with a win over the reigning Super Bowl champions.

Before the game kicks off, the Toro Times spoke with Arrowhead Addict site expert Matt Connor to get his thoughts on the upcoming game between the Hosuton Texans and the Chiefs.

1. When it comes to the Chiefs offense, besides Patrick Mahomes, who is the most important player for the Week 1 game?

The way that Travis Kelce took over the second quarter of the last rematch shows how great of a mismatch he can be on the field. If the Texans are somehow able to stay vertical with the Chiefs receivers, Kelce is likely to still make them pay up the seam or over the middle. He’s essential to the Chiefs offense in a number of ways, including taxing a defense by moving the chains on long drives. Can Houston find an answer this time around?

2. Which player from the Houston Texans offense and defense do you worry about the most?

Will Fuller‘s potential has always been a major concern for me every time I watch. Injuries have eased those concerns, unfortunately, over time, but I think he remains a potential elite wideout if he can stay on the field. The Chiefs secondary isn’t as thin as the national media makes it out to be, but Fuller would be an issue against any defensive backfield.

3. With the Chiefs coming off the Super Bowl championship, are you afraid of any type of letdown in Week 1, especially against a Texans team they saw collapse in the Divisional Round of the playoffs last season?

Not at all. This team is the very model of organizational consistency and health, which is why you see a mix of playfulness and celebration at appropriate times alongside the serious focus that comes with knowing the business at hand. From Andy Reid’s experience to Patrick Mahomes’ posture, the tone has been set. No one is taking any team for granted, and there’s no hangover at Arrowhead.

4. Who is the biggest addition to the Chiefs’ roster this offseason and why?

Willie Gay, Jr. is a long, athletic marvel who fell to the bottom of the second round. Off-field concerns and injuries led to limited tape, but Brett Veach insisted he’d have been a first-round pick next season if given another full year to show what he can do.

That’s good news for the Chiefs, who had coverage issues at linebacker (and an overall ceiling that was lower than it should have been) even during their defensive turnaround. If Gay can shore up the defense’s biggest issue with first-round talent, that’s bad news for everyone else.

5. What is your prediction for this season opener? What kind of game do you envision for the Chiefs?

I think the offense is going to have fun and the defense is going to want to set the tone. I’d expect to see that sort of tenor coming from both sides from the outset. Final prediction: Chiefs 31, Texans 10.