NFL Week 6 Picks: Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans

The 3-1 Kansas City Chiefs face the daunting task of taking on one of the more explosive offensive teams in the NFL on Sunday. The Houston Texans come loaded with a legit quarterback, a young, powerful running back and one of the most elite wide receivers in the game today, Andre Johnson.

On the other side, Kansas City is quietly producing top quality play from their defensive unit, as they have been able to hold all four of their opponents to 19 points or less. Much of that success can be due to the additions of playmakers in the secondary and top caliber coaching from defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel.

Houston's defensive unit has looked out of place, to put it nicely. They currently rank 31st in total defense and dead last in pass defense, which could call for a big day from over-paid quarterback Matt Cassel.

Some fans may remember safety Bernard Pollard as the one who ultimately sent Matt Cassel to the Chiefs. During the season opening game in 2008, as a Chief, Pollard came crashing down on Patriots QB Tom Brady's knee, sending him to the injured reserve list and giving Cassel his chance.

Cassel displayed all the talent necessary to become a franchise quarterback, therefore Scott Pioli and the Chiefs made the trade to send a second-round pick to New England for Cassel and veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel.

Although Cassel shined with the Patriots high-octane offense, and sent them to an 11-5 record in 2008, he has not been the game winner he was previously thought to be.

Pollard was then released by the Chiefs during training camp of 2009, immediately picked up by the Houston Texans and became a well-known star in their revved up defense of 2009, lead by first-round picks Mario Williams at defensive end and 2009 rookie linebacker Brian Cushing.

This game features a variety of interesting matchups, and I will dig into the ones that will determine the outcome of this game.

Andre Johnson vs. Brandon Flowers

Andre Johnson is arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL today, and although that may be true, he will be facing a physical, smart and productive cornerback in Brandon Flowers.

Flowers currently has eight passes defensed, as well as two interceptions within just four games. He comes in the same type of mold as Jets corner Darrelle Revis. He's a top of the line man-to-man corner that can make up for his 5'9" height by being physical at the line of scrimmage and knocking receivers off their route early.

That physical attribute will be put to the test against one of the most athletically gifted receivers in the game today.

Early in his career, Andre Johnson might have let the actions of the field get to his head, at times being forced to the sideline to keep his cool.

But the Andre Johnson of today has matured and become a consistent force to reckon with. Johnson has an elite burst off the line of scrimmage and has the speed to beat anybody deep, including Brandon Flowers. He's just as physical, yet has the quickness to shake any defender.

Johnson currently has 24 catches for 350 yards which puts him 177 yards above the closest Chiefs pass catcher, Tony Moeaki.

The Chiefs pass defense has been fantastic to date. Ignore the 25th in the NFL against the pass ranking the stats show, the Chiefs are 10th in yards per attempt, fourth in opponents' completion percentage and have held opposing quarterbacks to a QB rating of just 75.9.

Run Defense vs. Rushing Offense

The Chiefs currently sit ranked sixth in the NFL against the run, which will be important considering Houston possesses NFL leading running back Arian Foster.

After the Week 1 231-yard stampede by Foster over the Colts, he has hardly let up on any other teams, as he has put up a total of 562 yard on the ground over the course of five games.

The Chiefs' ability to stop Foster could be the deciding factor in who wins the game. After all, Kansas City allowed over 100 yards on the ground for the first time last week and took a loss to the Colts.

On the flip side, Houston has something to be excited about with their defense. They currently rank fifth in the NFL, allowing less than one yard rushing fewer than Kansas City.

But, the Chiefs come just as prepared offensively as the Houston ground game. The lightning strike known as Jamaal Charles has split rushing duties with veteran Thomas Jones, and both have performed up to par to this point. Charles currently leads all running backs with a 6.5 yard per carry average, and that number will be put to the test against a Houston defense that has only allowed 3.6 YPC.

I expect to see a solid ground game from both rushing attacks. Charles should be able to hit a home run, and Foster might be able to consistently rack up four or five yards a carry. But keep in mind, the Chiefs have only allowed five rushes of 10 or more yards. The only other team better is the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Chiefs Passing Attack vs. Houston's Pass Defense

This game will be won and lost in the trenches no doubt, but the difference will be who can sustain drives the longest, provide quality play actions off of the run game and get the ball moving through the air.

Matt Cassel has his opening for a career day, statistically speaking. This could very well be his rebound game after a non-existent passing game against the Colts. 

Houston's secondary is led by the hard hitting Bernard Pollard, and although he is a terrific run-stopping safety as an eighth man in the box, he will be exposed in coverage, even against the worst of quarterbacks. Pollard's problem in Houston is the same problem he had in Kansas City: He will miss some tackles, he will get beat deep, and he will make many mistakes in coverage.

This message should be heard loud and clear in the Chiefs locker room before the game. Cassel will need to learn to look off receivers, move the safety with his eyes and force him into being out of position. This all comes down to whether or not Cassel can bring any sort of "it" factor.

If Cassel is missing the one thing guys like Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Drew Brees have, it's the intangibles to be able to improvise and make plays when plays are not given to him.

Now on the other end, guys like Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers need to STEP UP and make plays for their quarterback. To this point, the only receiving options Cassel has to throw to are rookies Dexter McCluster and tight end Tony Moeaki. Dwayne Bowe will need to become more consistent as a pass catcher and a playmaker that can beat a corner with a double move and find a way to get open. 

With having a former receivers coach like Todd Haley in house, you would think these guys would know how to beat a jam by now.

In conclusion, this game could be one of the best of this week when looking at it from a matchup point of view.

The Chiefs and Texans are both unbalanced teams, and the edge will go to the team that doesn't turn the ball over. If the Chiefs fumble, throw an interception or can not force long, mauling drives, the Texans will roll the Chiefs up, and send them to 3-2.

Houston is facing a team that leads the NFL in point differential off turnovers with +27 in the Chiefs' favor. Therefore, if this young, talented Chiefs defense can come up with some big plays, it could be a long day for a Houston offense that only put up 10 points against the Giants last week.

I have to give the edge to the Texans in this one. Houston by 3.