Even in the face of further injuries, your Kansas City Chiefs appeared to be in complete control in Saturday’s 27-19 win over the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Their two-time defending Super Bowl champions are now 14-1. Unless the New England Patriots give Kansas City an early Christmas present by defeating the Buffalo Bills late in the afternoon on Sunday, the Chiefs can secure the AFC’s No. 1 playoff spot with a Christmas Day victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Let’s remember some Kansas City players who made the difference in Saturday’s win.

winner

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images

Cornerback Trent McDuffie: He was already an All-Pro, now he’s a revenue machine. He’s now made a selection in two consecutive weeks – and continues to show us his greatness in tackling and coverage. Honorable mention goes to rookie Jaden Hicks, who also had another interception.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes: The two-time MVP had a solid passing performance with 260 yards and a touchdown and took just one sack behind a makeshift offensive line. But he did so while playing with a high ankle sprain — and on the ground he was in championship form, splitting the defense and lowering his shoulder to score on a 15-yard scramble.

Wide receiver Hollywood Brown: It took us a long time to say this, but welcome to Kansas City, Mr. Brown. Five catches for 45 yards — including a fourth-and-1 conversion on his first reception — marked a solid debut. He doesn’t seem to have missed a beat – and it doesn’t appear Mahomes has lost confidence in No. 5 either.

Running back Samaje Perine: Although the crafty eighth-year veteran didn’t get a carry on Saturday, he did catch all three of his targets for 50 critical yards. He takes on an important role – and shows a knack for improvising with his quarterback.

EDGE George Karlaftis: Over the past few weeks, the former Purdue Boilermaker has been a consistent force, consistently coming out on top with his usual tireless effort. Against Houston, “Furious George” was on top of his game, collecting four quarterback hits and a batted pass – and could have secured a sack when he and Mike Pennel chased Texas quarterback CJ Stroud out of bounds.

Wide receiver Xavier Worthy: It was another quality performance for the speedy rookie, who led Kansas City’s receivers with seven catches for 65 yards and a score. He makes his presence known in every way except deep passes. On Saturday, he had another rep where he caught the ball but was unable to bring it downfield with his feet.

loser

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Running back Isiah Pacheco: The Chiefs have split carries pretty evenly between Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. But on this day, Hunt got better — and was more productive, too. Pacheco finished the game with just nine carries for 26 yards – and lost a yard on his only reception. His time will come.

EDGE Mike Danna: Although the defense has improved in that area, his pass-rush productivity has declined. While still a valuable part of the defensive line rotation, Danna has been quiet so far this season, recording just 1.5 sacks.

Note: The use of the terms “winner” and “loser” is not intended to constitute an assessment of the talent or character of any of these players. It’s just an easy way to evaluate their performance in a single game. No disrespect is intended.