The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 4:30 p.m. ET in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs. 

When the teams kick the game off, it'll have only been 28 days since they last met on the gridiron. The result of that game was a 27-19 victory for Kansas City, but you can never expect the same results when you're facing a team you've already played and a trip to the AFC Championship Game is on the line.

Many things changed for the Chiefs in that short time, and there were also some notable changes for the Texans centered around their roster. What are some of the biggest changes that will challenge Kansas City in this latest matchup with Houston? A few players who didn't play in Week 16 will play on Sunday, while several others will also be out due to injury.

Let's dive in. 

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NFL's dirtiest defender has returned from multi-game suspension

Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair has earned the reputation of being a dirty player during his time in the NFL, and it came to a head earlier this season. He was suspended for three games without pay after an illegal hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence in Week 13 of the 2024 NFL season. The Week 16 game with the Chiefs was the second game that he missed due to suspension, given the timing of Houston's bye week. He was first eligible to return to the roster for their Week 18 game against the Tennessee Titans. Al-Shaair is under renewed fire after a play in the wild-card game against the Los Angeles Chargers, where he was seen punching WR Ladd McConkey in the helmet. It was likely an attempt to punch out the football, but no one will give him the benefit of the doubt after accumulating plenty of late hits and penalties throughout his career.

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Two Texans starters are now out with season-ending injuries

Texans S Jimmie Ward (foot) & WR Tank Dell (knee) both suffered injuries during the course of the game against the Chiefs in Week 16. Both have since been declared out for the season due to those injuries. As a result, the Chiefs will see a lot more of their former 2016 fifth-round draft pick, Eric Murray, who is listed as a starting safety along with Calen Bullock. At wide receiver, Dell is QB C.J. Stroud's best friend and a safety net for him. That's a huge loss, but they've also got a new face in the building who could play a role in the divisional-round matchup. 

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Disgruntled former Ravens and Panthers wide receiver is now on the team

After Baltimore released him following a trade from Carolina, WR Diontae Johnson was claimed by the Houston Texans. He's not the speedster that WR Tank Dell was, but he has slowly been increasing his workload within the offense. Over the past two games, he has played 40 offensive snaps, recording three receptions for 24 yards on five targets. Johnson has 30 receptions for 351 yards and three touchdowns on the year, most of which came with the Panthers earlier this season. Kansas City will have to account for Johnson in the divisional round with limited tape to go off of. 

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The offensive line remains in flux due to injuries

When the Chiefs first faced the Texans back in Week 16, interior offensive lineman Juice Scruggs was out due to an injury. Now, Scruggs is back in the lineup, but standout OG Shaq Mason is dealing with a knee injury. This has forced Jarrett Patterson into the lineup at center, with Scruggs playing the right guard position for Houston. The Texans offensive line allowed 12 total pressures and one sack during the wild-card round game against the Los Angeles Chargers over the weekend. 

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Chiefs have a trio of strong internal defensive coordinator candidates should Steve Spagnuolo get a head-coaching job

Look for one of these three to be the Kansas City Chiefs’ next defensive coordinator should Steve Spagnuolo leave.