The relationship between Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Texans counterpart Deshaun Watson goes back well beyond the 2017 draft Xavier Williams Jersey , when along with Mitchell Trubisky they were considered among the best prospects at their position.It goes back to their college days, when Mahomes was orchestrating the "Air Raid" offense at Texas Tech and Watson was trying to navigate Clemson to a national championship."I think we were going into our junior year," Mahomes recalled, "and we went to a QB camp out in California. I talked to him, back and forth, about how he did his stuff at Clemson, how I did my stuff at Texas Tech. He's a great player. We kind of hit it off."They stayed in touch during the draft process, too."We took a lot of the same visits," Mahomes said, "and we went to the same places, and we would talk to each other about what we went through. But we didn't necessarily knew where we would go."Nobody did.Trubisky wound up going second overall to Chicago. And when nobody grabbed a quarterback in the next eight picks Jordan Lucas Jersey , the Chiefs traded up to No. 10 and chose Mahomes over Watson as the heir apparent to Alex Smith. Watson wound up going two picks later to the Texans.All three quarterbacks have flourished to some extent. On Sunday, two of them will get to square off when Mahomes leads the Chiefs (4-1) against Watson and the Texans (3-2) at Arrowhead Stadium."He's been doing a heck of a job putting the Chiefs in contention each and every game, and putting up a lot of great numbers," Watson said, "because that's what he's been doing his whole career, and just being that leader — he's doing a heck of a job for that organization."Yes, it was Mahomes who rewrote the record books during his MVP season a year ago, and he is off to another blazing start this season. But it is Watson who comes into the AFC showdown with the hot hand, having thrown for 426 yards and five touchdowns while running for 47 yards last week against Atlanta."He's a heck of a player. We had him in here before the draft," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "We thought the world of him. I know he was a heck of a player in college and he carried it over and he's playing really good football. I don't know exactly what they're asking and not asking him to do, but whatever they're asking him to do Damien Williams Jersey , he's doing it well."The matchup Sunday is more than just Mahomes vs. Watson, though. Here are some other story lines:INJURY BUGThe Chiefs hope to get wide receiver Tyreek Hill on the field for the first time since breaking his collarbone Week 1 in Jacksonville. But they are poised to play without several key players, such as wide receiver Sammy Watkins (hamstring), defensive tackle Chris Jones (groin) and left guard Andrew Wylie (ankle).INJURY BUG, PART IITexans wide receiver Kenny Still is still recovering from a hamstring injury, though it appears his bothersome ankle is finally better. Elsewhere, interior offensive lineman Greg Mancz has been out with a concussion and running back Taiwan Jones has been slowed by a hip injury.MANO-A-MANOThe Colts slowed down the Chiefs by playing a bunch of man-to-man defense, and the Texans are likely to follow the same blueprint. But the Chiefs also have spent the week trying to fix their issues from last week, resulting in an intriguing offense-defense chess match Sunday."They obviously played a great game," Texans defensive end J.J. Watt said of the Colts. "They went in there and stuck to their game plan and executed very well and came out with the win."BEWARE THE HONEY BADGERTyrann Mathieu picked off his first pass as a member of the Chiefs last week, and he'd like nothing more than to get his second against the Texans. Mathieu had a big year with Houston last season Tyrann Mathieu Jersey , and the club wanted to keep him around, only to see the Chiefs win the bidding in free agency.12 ANGRY MENOne of the most effective personnel groups for Houston this season has been "12 personnel," which means a set with one running back and two tight ends. But why has it worked so well?"It's a good question," Texans coach Bill O'Brien said. "It has a lot to do with what you're going to see defensively. We've got a lot of different combinations of personnel groupings we can use and we try to study and we try to think about, defensively, how they're going to attack it. 'What personnel are they going to use? What's going to be their scheme, and how does that fit what we want to do?' ... And sometimes it works. Hopefully it works more than it doesn't." Philip Rivers says he is concentrating on Sunday’s game instead of his future beyond this season.Even though the Los Angeles Chargers quarterback is trying to maintain tunnel vision, he knows there are many out there who have been critical about his play in what has been a disappointing season.“It’s been a tough stretch, really unlike any two games I have had,” Rivers said on Wednesday. “I don’t necessarily try to seek criticism out, but I’m also not naive to it or ignore it completely. I understand it. I know it comes with it.“I’m disappointed that I haven’t made some of the plays that I need to. I’ve also made some plays that helped us be in these games Steven Nelson Jersey , too. It goes both ways. I’m not trying to sell that I’ve played well. I have not played well. The turnovers are unacceptable, but there’s no lost confidence, no lost belief in myself.”Rivers has thrown seven interceptions in the past two games and is second in the league with 14 this season. After losses to the Raiders and Chiefs, the Chargers continue their run of division games by traveling to Denver.Even though Los Angeles isn’t mathematically eliminated at 4-7, it needs to win out and get some help to entertain any hopes of returning to the playoffs. While there remain plenty of questions about Rivers’ future with the franchise he has played for his entire 17-year career, he is one of the few not discussing it.“I think it is something to look at when the finality of being knocked out comes but right now we’re just fighting to play better. That is where the focus is for me now instead of the big picture,” Rivers said.Rivers attributed the spike in interceptions to both poor throws and decisions. The 14 picks are the most he has thrown at this point of the season since 2012.The interceptions are a big reason why the Chargers go into Sunday’s game with the fifth-worst turnover differential in the league at minus-9. Los Angeles’ 15 turnovers since Week 5 are tied for second most.Besides the interceptions, Rivers has not fared well over the past three games on third down and when under pressure.“I think, over the bulk of my playing career, I’ve probably been better than average at not committing turnovers,” Rivers said. “There have been spans and spurts that have not been better than average. This last couple-game stretch would fall into that category. Certainly Tony Gonzalez Jersey , I have to do a better job of it.”One of the more frustrating games for Rivers and the Chargers came against the Broncos on Oct. 6. He threw a pair of interceptions during the 20-13 loss and ended a 55-game streak where he directed a touchdown drive. It also marked only the ninth time in 230 regular-season and postseason starts that the offense did not reach the end zone.Two of Los Angeles’ five turnovers in goal-to-go situations came in that game — Rivers’ interception in the end zone and Austin Ekeler’s fumble at the goal line.Besides turnovers, a pivotal reason why the Chargers did not score an offensive touchdown was that Denver’s secondary took away the intermediate and deep routes. Rivers was forced to throw short, which is why Ekeler had 15 receptions.Tight end Hunter Henry did not play because of a knee injury but has provided a spark since returning with 35 receptions for 427 yards in the past six games.Coach Anthony Lynn said that Rivers understands he can’t keep committing turnovers but also refused to say if his patience in Rivers is running thin.“Most great athletes, they respond well. I believe Philip is going to respond well,” Lynn said.