The script is in: Chiefs have an official advantage courtesy of NFL vs Texans

Vibes are as positive as they can possibly be for the Kansas City Chiefs as they attempt to win their third straight Super Bowl. The Chiefs went 15-2 in the regular season, not only winning the AFC West once again, but earning the conference's No. 1 seed. Accomplishing that feat ensured that the Chiefs would automatically advance to the Divisional Round and that the AFC playoffs would run through Arrowhead.

Their opponent in the Divisional Round is a Houston Texans team that Patrick Mahomes has historically done quite well against. As if that isn't encouraging enough for Kansas City, the NFL might've handed them an advantage that football fans of the other 31 teams will not like at all. Of course, it involves the refs.

The lead official for this game is Clay Martin, a refereeing crew that the Chiefs have gone 6-0 against in the Mahomes era. While it's unlikely that this game will come down to the referees in the end, and referees are always an easy scapegoat, it's certainly something to take note of.

Chiefs have an even greater advantage in Divisional Round thanks to NFL

As Reed Wallach of SI points out, Martin’s crew ranks seventh in terms of flags thrown per game this season, with roughly one more flag per game thrown against the road team. Martin's crew has also penalized the home team the second-fewest amount in the NFL. There's reason to expect a good amount of penalties in this one, with more of them coming against the road team - the Texans.

NFL fans have had a gripe for years now about the treatment that the Chiefs get from NFL referees, and it's hard to imagine that changing after Saturday's game.

The Chiefs hold just about every advantage in this one. They're remarkably healthy and well-rested thanks in large part to their bye week. They're playing at home where they didn't lose a single time this past season. They're playing a Texans team that they just beat not even a month ago and that Mahomes has owned. Adding in the referee advantage makes this matchup one that feels borderline unfair.

Upsets can happen at any given moment in the NFL, and hopefully, the Texans can keep this one close, but considering all of the factors at play, it's hard to envision anything but another Chiefs appearance in the AFC Championship Game.