"This is absolutely shocking!" The New England Patriots are just one win away from securing a remarkable spot in the Super Bowl after achieving a 28-16 victory over the Houston Texans in the divisional round matchup held on Monday night.
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Following this game, the Patriots are set to travel to Denver next week to face off against the Broncos in the much-anticipated AFC Championship game. While it may seem daunting to play against the AFC's top-seeded team, New England enters as the clear favorites, especially since the Broncos' starting quarterback, Bo Nix, will be sidelined due to a broken ankle that requires surgery, as announced by head coach Sean Payton after their nail-biting overtime win against Buffalo.
With Nix out for the remainder of the season, the Broncos will have to rely on backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Interestingly, Stidham was drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round back in 2019 and spent three seasons with the team as a backup to both Tom Brady and Cam Newton before being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders.
In Monday's game, Houston's quarterback C.J. Stroud had a night to forget. After being selected second overall by the Texans in the 2023 draft, he struggled significantly, resembling the challenges often seen in a sophomore slump, failing to recapture the confidence and skill that marked his impressive rookie season. Instead of showcasing poise, Stroud appeared rattled, frequently throwing inaccurate passes or getting rid of the ball too quickly. This performance led to an unfortunate tally of four interceptions in the first half alone, a record that ties with the worst playoff performance in Texans history and places him among only four quarterbacks in the last two decades to achieve such a dubious feat in a playoff first half.
This abysmal performance might have tempted Texans' coach DeMeco Ryans to consider benching Stroud in favor of veteran Davis Mills, who had proven himself earlier this season with a 3-0 record, scoring five touchdowns while only throwing one interception in games Stroud missed.
However, Stroud wasn't the only quarterback facing difficulties; New England's own second-year player, Drake Maye, who is also in the running for the MVP title, had his share of struggles too. He fumbled the ball four times, a record for a Patriots player in a playoff game, but fortunately only two of those miscues were lost. Maye also threw an interception, but that occurred during a Hail Mary attempt at the end of the first half.
It's important to note that it was perhaps not unexpected for Maye to struggle against a Houston defense that had previously sacked Aaron Rodgers four times and pressured him extensively during their last encounter. Conversely, the Patriots’ defense, while not overly dominant, has showcased a particularly aggressive interior pass rush, which posed a significant challenge for the Texans, given their struggles with interior pass protection.
The scoring opened early in the first quarter when Maye connected with DeMario Douglas for a long touchdown on a crucial 4th-and-1 play, effectively punishing the Texans for their all-out blitz strategy. The Texans managed to respond with their most significant play of the night when Stroud found a wide-open Dalton Schultz, who sprinted for 42 yards, leading to a field goal.
Unfortunately for Houston, they were already without their main receiving option, Nico Collins, and later lost Schultz to a calf injury, further crippling their offensive capabilities. Despite these setbacks, the Texans briefly took the lead when Maye fumbled, allowing Christian Kirk to score the go-ahead touchdown.
Nevertheless, the Patriots' defense struck back sharply with a pick-six by Marcus Jones, followed by another touchdown catch from former Texan Stefon Diggs, extending New England’s lead to 21-10.
Despite struggling through the first half, Stroud managed to help the Texans close the gap with two field goals in the third quarter. However, a dazzling diving catch by Kayshon Boutte, who was matched up against standout Houston cornerback Derek Stingley, pushed the Patriots' lead back to 28-16.
As time dwindled, it became increasingly clear that the Texans had little hope of turning the tide, especially given Stroud’s ongoing difficulties. In a moment that highlighted coach Ryans' dwindling faith in his young quarterback, Houston opted to punt on a 4th-and-18 with just over four minutes remaining, effectively conceding defeat as they trailed by 12 points with only one timeout left. This strategic decision raised eyebrows, suggesting that Ryans believed the defense had a better chance of making an impact than his struggling quarterback.
Later on Monday, in the final divisional game, the Chicago Bears are set to host the Los Angeles Rams.
