Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes starts to run with the ball when he can't find an open receiver late in the fourth quarter. His run for a first down was waived off when his team got called for a penalty. The Bills hosted Kansas City Chiefs in Orchard Park, Nov.17, 2024.

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Chiefs’ 4:30 p.m. Curse: Will their perfect home record crumble against the Texans?

Chiefs face Texans at 4:30 p.m.—a time that’s haunted them.

The Kansas City Chiefs are 0-2 in games starting at 4:30 p.m. ET. Every other start time? A clean 8-0. As odd as it sounds, this stat follows them into Saturday’s divisional-round matchup against the Houston Texans. And guess what? It kicks off at—you guessed it—4:30 p.m. ET.

Undefeated in Arrowhead this season, but will 4:30 break that streak?

Arrowhead Stadium has been a fortress for the Chiefs. This season, they’ve gone 8-0 at home. They dismantled teams under the bright lights, with Patrick Mahomes leading the charge. The last time they played there, they beat these same Texans 27-19 in Week 16.

the chiefs last 10 games, by start time pic.twitter.com/42bTYRRMRg
— Jay Cuda (@JayCuda) January 15, 2025

But 4:30 p.m. hasn’t been kind to them. Is it superstition? A scheduling fluke? Or maybe a weird coincidence tied to player routines? Whatever the case, this stat now feels like a ticking clock for Saturday.

Chiefs’ X-factor: Patrick Mahomes

Mahomes continues to dominate in postseason play. With 5,135 career playoff passing yards and 41 touchdowns, he’s the driving force behind Kansas City’s success. At Arrowhead, his record is nearly unblemished: 12-2 in playoff starts.

Travis Kelce remains Mahomes’ go-to target. With 165 postseason receptions, the veteran tight end delivers in clutch moments. His consistency, paired with the speed of receiver Xavier Worthy, keeps Kansas City’s offense dangerous.

Why the Texans aren’t just an easy out

Houston’s quarterback, C.J. Stroud, is the real deal. He threw for 282 yards and rushed for another 42 in their Wild Card win over the Chargers. Plus, Nico Collins—his go-to receiver—just racked up 122 yards and a touchdown in that game.

Houston, we have a problem! #Chiefs vs. #Texans, Saturday, 3:30pm cst in Arrowhead | ESPN & ABC pic.twitter.com/Q5Bju56oQl
— Starcade Media (@StarcadeMediaKC) January 16, 2025

And Joe Mixon? If he plays, he’s a problem. The guy put up 1,016 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Even if he’s questionable, the Chiefs need to prepare for him as if he’s suiting up.

How to watch Chiefs vs. Texans: Don’t miss this divisional-round game

Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
TV Channels: ESPN, ABC
Streaming: ESPN+, DirecTV

This is the first divisional-round game of the weekend. The stakes? A ticket to the AFC Championship against the Bills or Ravens.

Will Saturday prove the 4:30 p.m. curse is real or ridiculous?

Kansas City hasn’t lost at home all season. But the 4:30 p.m. stat has everyone raising eyebrows. If the Texans exploit the Chiefs’ weird start-time trend, this game could flip the postseason narrative.

It’s one thing to go undefeated at Arrowhead. It’s another to prove time slots don’t define you. Saturday might do both—or neither.

(Image: Imagn Images)

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Natasha Bose

I write about sports because, well, it brings in the big bucks! I’m not some lifelong analyst or stats guru, truth being told, you’ve probably never heard of me!—I just know how to research, write, and make things sound good. That’s the job!
Got into sports media the same way most people do: by (fortunate) accident. Started with SEO writing, took on a few sports gigs, and now here we are! I cover games, trades, player drama—whatever needs words.
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