Jan 20, 2026
3 min read
With the 28-16 win, the Patriots qualify to face the Broncos in the AFC Championship game next Sunday.
The New England Patriots got three more touchdowns from Drake Mays and a great performance from their defense to beat the Houston Texans 28-16 in a snowy game on Sunday in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
The teams combined for eight turnovers — the most in a playoff game since 2016 — and offenses struggled to get going, in a mix of sleet, sleet and snow throughout the game.
May went 16-for-27 for 179 yards and three scores, but he also fumbled four times, losing two.He also threw a Hail Mary interception late in the first half and was sacked five times.May was better in the second half, especially on a 32-yard touchdown run by Keyshawn Boot, who made a one-handed sliding catch in the end zone.
Texas quarterback C.J.Stroud struggled — completing just 20 of 47 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown — and had four interceptions in the first quarter.
New England's defense outplayed Houston's highly touted unit, sacking Stroud three times, forcing five turnovers and earning a defensive touchdown on a pick-six in the second quarter.Stroud was hit by edge rusher Clavon Chaisson as he tried to throw, and the ball was almost straight up in the air, intercepted by Marcus Jones and returned 26 yards for a score.
The Texans also lost second-leading rusher Dalton Schultz of the season to a calf injury in the first quarter.He didn't come back.Houston was already without leading receiver Nico Collins, who missed the game with a concussion.
With Sunday's win, the Patriots improved to 3-0 all-time in the postseason against the Texans.(New England also swept Houston in the divisional round after the 2012 and 2016 seasons.) Next weekend will mark their 16th appearance in the conference championship since 1970, tied for second-best in the NFL in that span with the Pittsburgh Steelers (San Francisco 49ers have 19).
Patriots defense strengthened
The Patriots defense was stout throughout the regular season.It wasn't bad, but it was certainly the weakest side of the ball, as the team's offense dominated throughout.But in the first two rounds of the playoffs, New England's defense has played like one of the best units in the NFL.
After holding Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers to three points in the wild-card round last weekend, the Patriots recorded the sixth pick on Sunday, intercepted Stroud four times and set the final score at five turnovers.
More importantly, they had the Strut in the blender the entire time.Defensive end Zach Kuhr put together another impressive game plan, putting together blitzes that confused Houston's quarterback from the start.
Houston gained just 3.3 yards per play and did nothing on the ground.
The Patriots defense looks to be peaking at the right time and is well on its way to the AFC Championship game.- Chad Graff, Patriots beat writer
For the second game in a row, Meyer didn't perform at his best, but it was enough to help the team win. The MVP candidate had a mediocre performance against the Chargers but continues to have problems running the ball behind the offensive line. His four fumbles helped keep the Texans in the game - and it could have been worse if rookie Will Campbell hadn't caught two of them.
To be fair, he was pretty good when it came to throwing, but Houston's defense struggled to hold the ball too long.
The Patriots may not need May's A game next week, given the backup quarterback they'll face in Denver.But they'll certainly want Maye to play like an MVP, even if they haven't needed the level of play in the first two rounds of the playoffs.- Graff
Ball safety is an issue
The biggest question for Houston entering this game was whether Stroud could recover from the uncharacteristic ailments that plagued him in the wild-card round against Pittsburgh.And the third-year quarterback saw his struggles in that game turn into an illness against New England.His four interceptions wiped out one possession after another, and while the defense managed to keep Houston within striking distance, Stroud's inability to make plays cost his team the game.— Mike Jones, NFL National Writer
Houston's defense has run out of energy.
It's hard to criticize the Texans' defense too much, as it picked off the offense multiple times and managed to hold the Patriots scoreless on their four possessions after turnovers.
However, the Houston team, which entered the fourth quarter holding New England to 1-10 on third downs, fell short in the fourth quarter.The Texans gave up a six-play, 71-yard drive, capped by a Maye pass to Boutte.the fourth quarter.
Generally, if your defense scores three carries and manages a third down, you should win.But not on Sunday.— Mr. Jones
Super Bowl of substance
New England's path to the Super Bowl is now clear.In this magical season where almost everything has fallen apart, the Patriots just need to beat a quarterback who hasn't thrown in the NFL in two years, and they'll head to Santa Clara, California for Super Bowl LX.
They travel to Denver next weekend to visit the Broncos with Jarrett Stidham suffering a broken ankle during the team's win on Saturday.Sure, Stidham was drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2019 draft, but his tenure with the franchise lasted only three years.
No, the trip to Denver won't be easy given the weapons the Broncos have, especially on defenseBut it's hard to imagine a better Super Bowl- Graph
and Stroud's to'a and to'a
Stroud ended the regular season at the position for a lucrative payday.But now, the quarterback will face a lot of attention after a playoff loss in which he performed poorly against Pittsburgh and then cost his team a miserable performance against New England.Sunday's game is a chance for Houston to advance to the divisional round for the first time in franchise history.
Now the Texans have to decide what to do with his future. Can they really give him a big contract worth around $250 to $300 million? Or should they pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract and see how he performs in 2026 to buy themselves more time before making such an investment?
However, the Texans need to further improve their offensive line, as it is clear that Stroud's confidence in the unit is weak.At the same time, Stroud must work on improving his ability and decision-making skills while also learning how to expand his game.
