Kansas
Houston Texans vs Kansas City Chiefs picks, predictions, odds: Who wins NFL playoff game?
Ravens, Bills put on A+ performance, Commanders stun Bucs
USA TODAY Sports’ Mackenzie Salmon breaks down all the games from Wild Card Weekend.
Sports Seriously
The Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs play on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium in a game on the NFL playoff schedule for the divisional round.
Which team will win the second-round NFL postseason game?
Check out these NFL playoff picks and NFL playoffs prediction for the game, which can be seen at 2:30 p.m. MST on ABC and ESPN (stream with FUBO).
The Chiefs are an 8-point favorite over the Texans in NFL playoff odds for the game, courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.
Kansas City is -400 on the moneyline, while Houston is +310.
The over/under (point total) is set at 42 points.
Watch Texans at Chiefs live on FUBO (free trial)
Jeremy Cluff writes: “We did not see the Texans beating the Chargers in our predictions last week. We were wrong. Were we ever. Houston dominated Los Angeles, 32-12 in the wild-card round. With that being said, we don’t see the Texans beating the Chiefs this week, either. Will we be wrong again? Kansas City is a big favorite after having the bye week to rest and prepare for Houston. The Chiefs beat the Texans in Kansas City in Week 16, 27-19. We expect a similar result in the divisional round. Patrick Mahomes won’t struggle against the Texans’ defense like Justin Herbert did.”
When do NFL playoff teams play next? Houston Texans | Kansas City Chiefs | Washington Commanders | Detroit Lions | Philadelphia Eagles | Baltimore Ravens | Buffalo Bills
Bookies.com: Bet the Texans with the points vs Chiefs
Bill Speros writes: “The Chiefs went 15-2 without scoring more than 31 points in a game this season. The Chiefs and Texans met less than a month ago in Kansas City. The Chiefs won 27-19 on their way to icing the No. 1 seed in the AFC and what was in all reality a two-week bye. Patrick Mahomes threw for 260 yards, a TD, and ran for another in KC’s win over Houston. He scored on a 15-yard scamper that ended KC’s opening drive. Andy Reid called that win his team’s “most comprehensive win” of the season. They’ll have to repeat it this weekend. The Texans were at 100% in their upset over the hapless Chargers in the Wild Card round. C.J. Stroud was able to balance things with both RB Joe Mixon and WR Nico Collins. The Texans need an early lead and a mistake-free effort to overcome the Chiefs’ magic on the field, and the power of Taylor Swift and the NFL off it. Both teams underperformed on the line. But the Chiefs crushed bettors all year. They went 8-9 ATS and 3-7 ATS in their final 10 games that mattered. The ‘Travis Kelce anytime TD’ was the most-bet player prop throughout the regular season, but he only scored 3 times. Houston gets the cover here, especially with the hook. The Texans moneyline here at +360 would be worth a small play, as well.”
NFL playoff odds: Texans vs Chiefs | Commanders vs Lions | Ravens vs Bills | Divisional-round point spreads, moneylines
The site’s formula predicts that the Chiefs will win the NFL playoff game against the Texans.
ESPN: Chiefs have a 62.4% chance to beat Texans on Saturday
The site gives the Texans a 37.6% shot at winning the NFL playoff game.
Tyler Dragon writes: “The Chiefs defeated Houston 27-19 in Week 16. Kansas City looks primed to be the first team to three-peat as Super Bowl champions. Kansas City is well rested and Andy Reid is historically good after a bye week. Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown’s return to Kansas City’s offense gives the team more firepower. Chris Jones has a significant advantage over Houston’s leaky offensive line. Patrick Mahomes has led the Chiefs to six straight AFC championship games. Mahomes and company are headed to another AFC title contest.”
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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas, baseball field renamed to honor fallen deputy Elijah Ming
KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.
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Elijah Ming’s son is only two — too young to hold many memories of his dad.
Kansas City, Kansas, baseball field renamed to honor fallen deputy Elijah Ming
But he will remember him. Elijah lives on in Deuce — the little one who also carries his father’s name.
KSHB
“He definitely carries a lot of traits that Elijah had,” said Elijah’s wife, Tiara Ming.
KSHB
One of those traits now stands tall on a KCK baseball field. On Thursday, fallen Wyandotte County Deputy Elijah Ming was honored once again as Heathwood Park was renamed Elijah Ming Memorial Field.
“It’ll be here for generations and decades to come,” said KCK Mayor Tyrone Garner.
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“That’s a sign to our young people in this community that these are the folks we should be looking up to,” said Wyandotte County Sheriff Daniel Soptic.
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Family, friends, Wyandotte County deputies, and local officials attended the event.
Ming was shot and killed in July as he responded to help a woman who felt threatened while moving out of a home in Kansas City, Kansas.
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“He was the guy,” said America Patton, Elijah’s mentor. “He had the whole package.”
Elijah’s brothers say there’s no better place for the dedication — they have countless memories there.
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“To see bro’s name right here… it makes sense,” said Isaiah Ming. “It all started here.”
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“That was the best years of my life,” said Herman Ming.
But this year was a hard one.
They lost their mom to cancer and their brother to gun violence just days apart.
Moving on is not easy.
“That’s when my whole life changed,” said Isaiah. “Just trying to learn how to get through these rainy days.”
As they cope, they hold on to the dreams that are now becoming reality — even if not in the way they imagined.
“We really dreamed about us having something named after us. We never thought it’d come to this,” said Herman. “He’s definitely gonna live on.”
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They hope Elijah’s memory continues to guide future generations — especially his little man.
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“It’s a special moment for him because I don’t think he realizes how much weight his name is going to carry in the community,” Tiara said.
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Kansas
Kansas City Chiefs Announce Jeff Shafer as 2025 Inspire Change Changemaker
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Today, the Kansas City Chiefs announced Jeff Shafer as their 2025 Inspire Change Changemaker – an annual recognition celebrating leaders who are driving significant, measurable change in their communities across the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative’s four pillars: education, economic advancement, police-community relations, and criminal justice reform.
Shafer is the executive director of City Year Kansas City and leads a dedicated team in providing public school students with the academic and social-emotional tools needed to thrive. Beginning in 2010, Shafer began his over-a-decade long work in giving back to local students as an AmeriCorps member in Chicago’s South Side. After five years with AmeriCorps, Shafer transitioned back to Kansas City to assist with the launch of City Year KC. Since 2015, Shafer and City Year KC have remained important pieces in revitalizing the Kansas City Public Schools district, most notably revitalizing accreditation in 2022. The Kansas City native routinely participates in service events throughout the year, including City Year KC’s Dr. Martin Luther King Day of Service where he leads volunteers in beautifying public school spaces with murals and messages of hope.
In addition, Shafer has served on the boards of Brothers Liberating Our Communities, which is responsible for recruiting and retaining Black male educators, and Charlotte Street, a nonprofit providing resources to local artists and curators.
Shafer will be recognized at the Chiefs Inspire Change game during their Week 15 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers for his exceptional work in pursuit of education. He will also receive a $10,000 donation from the NFL Foundation, paid directly to a non-profit organization of his choice.
“We are incredibly proud to honor Jeff Shafer as the recipient of the club’s 2025 Changemaker Award,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. “His commitment to providing necessary resources to our local public school system through City Year KC embodies what it means to be a pioneer for educational advancement. The Kansas City Chiefs are grateful for the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative, which spotlights important endeavors in our local community, and we are grateful to have Jeff represent the Chiefs this season.”
“The Changemakers selected this year have demonstrated what’s possible when leaders commit to creating real change in their communities,” said Anna Isaacson, NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility. “Their work is a powerful example for others and proof that sustained dedication can drive meaningful progress. The NFL family is proud to recognize their impact.” For more information, visit the link here.
Kansas
New trial set for Kansas man in son’s death
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A new trial has been scheduled for a Kansas man convicted of killing his infant son.
Kaleb Hogan will be tried again in January on charges of first-degree murder and child abuse.
Hogan was found guilty in 2023 of those same charges in the death of 3-month-old Malykai Hogan.
He was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years. But he appealed.


Earlier this year, the Kansas Supreme Court overturned his conviction, saying the trial judge incorrectly admitted evidence of prior acts of alleged abuse.

The court ruled that the evidence did not fall within an exception allowing alleged prior acts to be admitted into evidence because the state couldn’t link the prior abuse to Hogan. In fact, prosecutors admitted during oral arguments at the high court that they did not charge Hogan with other counts of abuse because they couldn’t prove he was responsible for the child’s earlier injuries.
The court ruled that the state couldn’t prove that the error was harmless, so the case was returned to Butler County District Court for a new trial.
Court records show that a jury trial has been scheduled for Hogan on Jan. 6 at 9 a.m.
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