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Patriots to play Houston Texans in AFC divisional round
The Patriots will host Houston at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, with kick-off set for 3 p.m.
The New England Patriots now know their opponent for next weekend at Gillette Stadium.
After defeating the Chargers, 16-3, in the wild-card round, New England will host the Houston Texans in the AFC divisional round on Sunday in Foxborough. Kick-off is set for 3 p.m.
New England had to wait another night to find out their next postseason foe, with the Texans punching their ticket to the next round after Houston defeated the Steelers in Pittsburgh, 30-6, on Monday night.
Much like the Patriots’ dominant defensive showing against Justin Herbert on Sunday, Houston’s defense flexed its muscles against Aaron Rodgers on Monday, recording four sacks and two turnovers and limiting the Steelers to just 175 net yards of offense.
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That defensive masterclass was needed on Monday, as Houston QB C.J. Stroud labored against Pittsburgh with five total fumbles (two recovered by Pittsburgh) and one interception.
New England’s defense could be primed for another big game against Houston, considering that Stroud has often been put under duress this season. Entering the playoffs, Houston’s offensive line ranks 30th in pass block win rate (55.4 percent) and 32nd in run block win rate (68.3 percent).
Still, Drake Maye and the Patriots will have their hands full with Houston’s elite defensive unit. The Texans closed out the regular season as the No. 1 team in the NFL in total defense (277 yards allowed per game) and the No. 2 scoring defense (17.4 yards per game).
This will not be Maye’s first time matched up against Houston. He made his first career NFL start against the Texans last season on Oct. 13, 2024, throwing for 243 yards and three touchdowns while also getting knocked for three turnovers.
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Here’s a look at this weekend’s NFL playoff schedule:
Saturday, Jan. 17
No. 6 Bills at No. 1 Broncos, 4:30 p.m. (CBS)
No. 6 49ers vs. No. 1 Seahawks, 8:00 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, Jan. 18
No. 5 Texans at No. 2 Patriots, 3 p.m. (ESPN/ABC)
No. 5 Rams at No. 2 Bears, 6:30 p.m. (NBC)
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