NFL Playoff Odds - Wild Card - Chiefs vs. Texans Betting Odds Preview

Two teams whose seasons at one point looked lost find themselves matched up in the first game of Wild Card Weekend on Saturday afternoon. Both teams have unproven players at multiple key positions and have rallied to get to where they are. Setting up a showdown between two unlikely playoff teams.

The Chiefs have a proven head coach in Andy Reid who over the years has proven he knows how to get a team to the playoffs. After losing star running back Jamal Charles to a knee injury early in the season many counted the Chiefs out of the playoff hunt. After their record fell to 1-5 after 6 games that many turned to most and the season seemed doomed. However they were able to ride the dominance of the NFL's third ranked defense combined with a surprisingly efficient offense that ranked ninth overall in the league to the playoffs and now have a good chance of obtaining the teams first playoff victory since 1993. Quarterback Alex Smith is often maligned due to the fact that he rarely throws the ball down the field and doesn't have gaudy statistical numbers, however he remains arguably the most efficient quarterback in the NFL and has a firm grasp of Reid's "West Coast" passing attack. He finished with career highs in passing yards with 3,486, touchdowns with 20, and a passer rating of 95.4. Charchandrick West and Spencer Ware have evolved into a 1-2 punch that has filled in admirably in the absence of Charles. Free agent signing Jeremy Maclin proved to be a wise signing as he had over 1000 yards receiving and Travis Kelce is one of the top tight ends in the league.

The Texans got of to a miserable start of their own as they began the season at 1-4 and yet found a way to go 7-2 over the seasons final 9 games to claim the division and set up an unlikely home playoff game. The team started the season with Ryan Mallet winnings the job in training camp and from that moment forward it turned into a game of "musical chairs" at the quarterback position that saw Mallet released and a total of 4 different quarterbacks start a game during the regular season. The team also had to rebound from a season ending injury to running back Arian Foster early in the season. The brightest star in Texas is wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins who had 111 receptions for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns as the biggest threat in the team's offense. Brian Hoyer will get the start despite coming off of his second concussion of the season. Keeping him healthy and in the game will be critical as backup Brandon Weeden began the season on the Cowboys and failed miserably in his appearances with them. However with the injuries and Mallet's release he is the only backup option that they have.

Both teams have something to prove and a rare opportunity to turn what was once a lost season into a few wins away from the Superbowl. The Chiefs have been the leagues hottest team and expect that to continue.