SPORTS: CHIEFS AT TEXANS

THE POST YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!!
WE WENT TO HOUSTON!!!

Over the weekend, a crew of us went to Houston for the Chiefs vs Texans playoff game on Saturday. When we found out that this was where the Chiefs were going to be playing for the Wildcard game, we immediately started making plans to travel there. This was my first road trip to a game AND my first playoff game. I was not disappointed.

GETTING THERE:
Thursday night, Stacey and I ended up being able to get on the road to Tulsa, OK. Shelby lives there and we were driving as far as her apartment to stay the night. We were happy that we got to do this as it shortened our drive into Houston on Friday.

We ended up hitting a little bit of traffic due to an over-turned semi, but we made good time and were able to rest up overnight. Plus, we got a great mid-highway selfie during the traffic stop.

  

Friday morning - bright and early - we were up and ready to get on the road. Naturally, we sported our Royals gear and utilized the selfie stick whenever we had the opportunity to do so. We broke up the remaining eight hours by stopping periodically at different landmarks (Welcome to Texas sign, Buc-ee's, etc.). We also stopped in Dallas and had lunch as Whataburger. This was my FIRST Whataburger experience and I was not disappointed. A friend had recommended the patty melt and fries, so I had just that. I am now very sad that Whataburger does not exist in MO.

 

 

We arrived in Houston at about 3:15pm. We had a great drive into town with minimal traffic, allowing us to see the city and blast Chiefs songs on the radio as we moved through downtown. At this point, the excitement was unbearable.

HOUSTON:
After arriving to town, we went to check into our hotel about two blocks from NRG Stadium. We chose to stay close to the stadium, rather than downtown, so that we'd be able to walk to the game. We rested up for a couple of hours and then headed out to meet a friend of mine. I took my very first Uber ride, visited a few local spots, and had a great night with friends!

 

My brother, Justin, and Andy got in super late Friday night so we didn't see them. On Saturday morning, we woke up and met up with them and headed to breakfast with our friends Mario and Rolando who had traveled to Houston from Mexico. It was great to have the opportunity to sit and chat with friends before heading to the game.

 

After breakfast, we went back to the boys' hotel to hang out and get pumped for the game. Obviously this provided us more selfie-stick opportunities. We may look funny using it, but these photos make for some great memories.

 

 

After awhile, we walked to NRG because we heard that there was a huge Chiefs tailgate. We were not disappointed when we got there. Hundreds of Chiefs fans had convened in the parking lot. It was a great experience getting to be at this tailgate because it truly showed the following that the Chiefs have - even on the road.

 

CHIEFS VS TEXANS:
And now the game... WOW. First of all, NRG Stadium itself was a great experience. I've never been to a stadium with a closed roof before, so I thought that was pretty neat. I didn't have to worry about getting sunburned. HA! We got lucky and were sitting next to about eight other Chiefs fans.

The game started out with a bang when Knile Davis ran the kickoff back 106 yards for a touchdown. We went WILD. And though the Chiefs offense wasn't too hot the first half, and we took a big hit with Jeremy Maclin going down to an ankle sprain, our defense did what they do best. With a number of interceptions and fumbles, the Chiefs were able to hold the Texans to a 30-0 loss. Not only did we take the game on the road, it was a shut out... and oh, what a feeling!

 

 

POST GAME:
After the game, it was clearly time to celebrate the win. While we didn't go out and get crazy, we celebrated, watched more football, and had a couple of beers. Here are some snapshots from the rest of the night:

   

 

GOING HOME:

 

We drove straight through on Sunday to get home for work on Monday morning. Of course though, we had to stop at In-N-Out in Dallas to round out the trip. Animal-style fries have changed my life.

Getting to experience this game with two of my best friends on the planet was an experience like none other. So much so that I wish Hannah could have been there with us to experience the victory. Taking a trip to experience a new town, my first playoff game, and more with two women who love and support me unconditionally is the best thing I've done for myself in a really long time. We laughed, we cried, we played the One Tree Hill radio game... It was probably the best weekend of my life.

The Chiefs move on in the playoffs thanks to this victory; they will play the Patriots on Saturday afternoon in New England. I'm excited to see how the team does; it has truly been an amazing year for Kansas City sports, and more importantly for my little corner of the Chiefs Kingdom. I'm so thankful for the family that I have thanks to this game and this team. GO CHIEFS!!