Chiefs Fend Off Texans to Remain Only Undefeated Team

Published at 1:42 am, October 21, 2013

EastIdahoNews.com Staff

Jason O. Watson/Getty Images(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) — Then there was one.

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali stripped Houston Texans quarterback Case Keenum of the ball which was recovered by Derrick Johnson with under two minutes left in the game, as the Chiefs fend off the Texans 17-16 Sunday, and finish the weekend as the only undefeated team left in the NFL.

The Chiefs improve to 7-0 for the first time since 2003.

Keenum, who was making his first NFL start in place of the injured Matt Schaub, completed 15 of 25 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

The Chiefs defense sacked Keenum five times, 2.5 of those sacks by Hali.

“I thought he did a nice job of a young guy coming in and playing. I thought he did a heck of a job,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said of Keenum. ” (He was) very poised and looked like he did when he played at Houston (University). But the bottom line is we were able to get pressure on him.”

The Texans (2-4) played most of the game without starting running back Arian Foster. Foster left the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return.

Houston continued to battle, taking a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter when Keenum connected with DeAndre Hopkins for a 29-yard touchdown.

The score stayed that way until 56 seconds before halftime when Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith scrambled for a five-yard touchdown, giving the Chiefs the lead for good.

Jamaal Charles rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown in the win.

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