The Houston Texans (9-6) battled the dynastic Kansas City Chiefs (14-1) on Saturday afternoon, as well as their emotions, and ultimately came up a little short. CJ Stroud made some crucial mistakes, the defense surrendered a 15-yard rushing touchdown to Patrick Mahomes and a penalty ultimately resulted in another opposing score. In many ways, this game can be best described as the KC special.

Although the Chiefs once again played a less-than-stellar brand of football they executed when necessary and made less mistakes than the other team. People keep wondering if such a style of play is sustainable, but that question may not be answered until the playoffs. Should the Texans earn another crack at the champions, they must correct their shortcomings.

Head coach DeMeco Ryans believes there is plenty to fix but also key positives to take away from the loss.

“I’m very proud of the effort of our guys,” he said postgame, per the Houston Chronicle’s Sam Warren. “It was a really good battle versus a really good team. We just have to clean up executing in the critical moments and finishing. That’s where we have to clean it up.”

Can the Texans put it all together in time for the postseason?

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws a pass against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

While the AFC South winners are still striving for their best form, they did exhibit impressive resilience at different points of their showdown in Arrowhead Stadium. Players were devastated after watching wide receiver Tank Dell sustain a brutal knee injury while scoring a touchdown early in the third quarter. They continued to press forward, however, and were able to position themselves for a potential game-tying drive. Unfortunately, Stroud and the offense could not move the ball down the field when they needed to most.

The 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year was 23-of-39 passing for 244 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He has to awaken from his sophomore slumber and display the level of shrewd judgment that made so many fans, even non-Texan ones, fall in love with him last season. But a resurgence will be far tougher to attain following the Dell injury news. The defense will also have to tighten things up, specifically in the red zone.

The grit is still there, though. And that is a crucial intangible to carry into the playoffs. When faced with adversity, DeMeco Ryans and company might have the right amount of mental strength to overcome a daunting opponent. But that alone will not be enough to survive the Chiefs.

Houston has a couple weeks left to adjust its on-field performance, and if it does, fans will finally get to see the balanced and dangerous Texans squad they envisioned before the season started.