The Houston Texans know what they are about to walk into. Sure, you can say that the Kansas City Chiefs get help from the refs, Patrick Mahomes fakes injuries, and whatever else you want to say as a fan, but the honest truth is, no matter how you feel, they win football games. They are a dynasty, and that’s what the Texans want to be, as does every team in the league.

They are going into maybe the most hostile environment in the league, too. Arrowhead Stadium holds the record for the loudest stadium in the U.S. They get loud, and they will be even louder because it will be super cold. The Texans have been in a similar position before against the Baltimore Ravens, who they play next week, so they know what to expect.

It’s about whether they are ready or not. And, head coach DeMeco Ryans doesn’t think they really need any more motivation than what they already have. They don’t need more motivation just because they are playing the Chiefs.

“For us, we are excited to go compete against a really good football team that has been good for a really long time. For us, just go out and play good football, we don’t make it bigger than what it is. Our next game, we understand the success that they have had, and they have earned it. They have been really good no matter if it is defense, offense, or special teams. Whatever it takes to win football games they find a way to win in the fourth quarter, so I am excited for this matchup and excited to see our guys go out and compete,” head coach DeMeco Ryans said.

“No because our guys don’t need to feel like they need to step up to Kansas City, they are a great team, and everybody understands that. In the NFL, they understand ‘KC’ has been dominant in the league for the past however many years. I don’t need to make it more of an awareness factor for our guys. Everybody knows ‘KC’ has been great for a long time.”

The Texans are a team that is trying to make that jump into the next tier of teams. They were rebuilding last season and made the playoffs with a rookie head coach, a rookie offensive playcaller, and a rookie quarterback running the show. It’s clear they were way ahead of schedule after they beat the Cleveland Browns in the postseason last year.

Now, it’s about showing that they can beat the best of the best, and that starts with the Chiefs on Saturday.