Patriots return to AFC Championship after forcing 5 Texans turnovers in heavy wintry mix

The New England Patriots are back.

From 2001 to 2018, 13 AFC Championship Games featured the Pats, including successful each of the last 8 seasons of that stretch. 

After six seasons without them, New England is backmost to what feels similar home.

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Marcus Jones (25) of the New England Patriots celebrates aft returning an interception for a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the 2nd 4th successful the AFC divisional playoff crippled astatine Gillette Stadium connected Jan. 18, 2026 successful Foxborough, Massachusetts.  (Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Thanks to forcing 5 turnovers against the Houston Texans, the Pats took location a 28-16 triumph successful the divisional circular connected Sunday.

The Patriots were assertive early, going for it connected fourth-and-1 from the Houston 28 successful wintertime weather, and it worked retired with a 28-yard touchdown walk to Demario Douglas. The Texans had to settee for a tract extremity aft a rushing touchdown by Woody Marks was called backmost due to the fact that of an amerciable shift.

Houston took a 10-7 pb with a Christian Kirk touchdown aboriginal successful the 2nd quarter, and the Texans were successful concern aft forcing a Patriots punt. But the momentum was short-lived aft C.J. Stroud threw a pick-six — his 2nd of 4 interceptions successful the archetypal fractional — to springiness New England the lead. After a Houston punt, Drake Maye recovered Stefon Diggs to marque it 21-10 with 3:12 to go.

Stefon Diggs of the New England Patriots celebrates with teammates aft scoring a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the 2nd 4th successful the AFC divisional playoff crippled astatine Gillette Stadium connected Jan. 18, 2026 successful Foxborough, Massachusetts.  (Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

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Houston kicked 2 tract goals successful the 3rd 4th to marque it a five-point game, each portion the Patriots discourtesy stalled. But successful the 4th quarter, Maye deed Kayshon Boutte connected a heavy ball, and the receiver made an unthinkable diving drawback successful the extremity portion to spell up 28-16 with 12:58 left.

Stroud struggled from the leap and finished by completing conscionable 42.6% of his passes (20-for-47) for 212 yards.

After an MVP-caliber season, Maye's numbers weren't outstanding, arsenic helium posted conscionable 179 yards connected 16-of-27 passing and 3 turnovers himself, but with the assistance of his defense, helium is filling the shoes of Tom Brady rather nicely.

New England Patriots backmost Drake Maye (10) throws successful the 3rd 4th against the Houston Texans successful an AFC Divisional Round crippled astatine Gillette Stadium.  (David Butler II/Imagn Images)

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It volition beryllium the Pats against the Denver Broncos adjacent week for a travel to the Super Bowl, a rematch of the AFC Championship 10 years agone betwixt Brady and Peyton Manning. 

That season, the quarterbacks had been successful the league for a combined 33 seasons — this play is some Maye and Bo Nix's second. Although, aft Nix's wounded precocious connected Saturday, it'll apt beryllium Jarrett Stidham starting for Denver.

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