The New England Patriots have punched their ticket in the AFC Championship Game as they defeated the Houston Texans 28-16.
In a snowy Gillette Stadium, both defenses led the way as there were eight total turnovers. It was New England who made them pay as Marcus Jones returned an early pick-six before Drake Maye and Kayshon Boutte sealed the deal with a 32-yard touchdown connection in the fourth quarter.
Here’s everything that went down throughout Sunday’s contest.
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Final score: Patriots 28 : 16 Texans
Sunday, Jan. 18, 3:00 p.m. ET | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA | Broadcast information | Inactives | Game day roster
The Texans won the toss and deferred, putting Drake Maye and the Patriots offense on the field first. Immediately set up in a 3rd-and-10, a quick screen to Stefon Diggs against an all-out blitz look gained just five yards forcing a punt.
New England’s defense set Stroud and Co. up with a 3rd-down of their own to start the day, where a no huddle pass to Christian Kirk was dropped. Houston then was forced to punt after a three-and-out of their own.
Two touches Rhamondre Stevenson started New England’s next possession off with a pair of positive gains for 29 total yards. Two touches to TreVeyon Henderson then were blown up for a loss forcing a 3rd-and-14, where a slant to Diggs picked up 13. With the offense on the field on fourth-down, Maye found DeMario Douglas over the middle for a 28-yard touchdown pass. [Patriots 7 : 0 Texans]
A second-down pass breakup by Carlton Davis forced Houston back into a 3rd-and-long, where Stroud stepped up in the pocket and dumped it off to a wide open Dalton Schultz who took it 42 yards. After converting the following third-down to work inside the red zone — where a face mask penalty additionally moved them inside the 10 — Houston faced a third-and-goal from the one, where a rushing touchdown was negated due to an illegal shift. Then from the six-yard line, a three-man rush left nobody open and Stroud’s pass fell incomplete. A short field goal attempt was then good. [Patriots 7 : 3 Texans]
Maye’s second-down pass was batted down at the line to take away a likely completion to an open Stefon Diggs. On 3rd-and-10, Maye’s arm was hit as he went to uncork one downfield for a fumble, which Will Campbell recovered for a 10-yard loss. Bryce Baringer then got a punt off from his own end zone.
Starting their next possession just over midfield and kept the offense on the field on 4th-and-1, where a handoff to Woody Marks moved the chains. The next play, Stroud’s pass was over his target and intercepted by a diving Carlton Davis, who just got his knee down in bounds.
Taking over at their own 18-yard line after the turnover, New England quickly gave it right back. A miscommunication on second-down led to Maye scrambling up the middle and getting the ball punched out as he went to the ground.
Back on the field, Houston moved the chains to move inside the red zone where they faced a 3rd-and-4. From the gun, Stroud hung in against a zero blitz to find Christian Kirk for a touchdown. [Patriots 7 : 10 Texans]
Maye and the offense took the field trailing for the first time and faced a 3rd-and-7 in which Maye escaped the pocket to move the chains with his legs. Facing another 3rd-and-9, Maye’s pass downfield to an open Kyle Williams fell incomplete along the left sideline.
The Patriots defense then struck, as K’Lavon Chaisson got to Stroud who threw up a duck which was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Marcus Jones. [Patriots 14 : 10 Texans]
New England’s defense then struck again, as Stroud’s second pass on the following drive was off his receivers hands over the middle and intercepted by Craig Woodson.
Following the turnover, a second-down sack forced New England into a 3rd-and-13 where a short completion to Hunter Henry went for just five yards. Baringer then punted
Backed up inside their own 10-yard line, Stroud fired a pair of incompletions while under pressure to set-up third-down — where Christian Barmore got home to force a near fumble but incompletion.
A second-down completion to Kayshon Boutte got New England’s offense on the move with a 25-yard gain into Houston territory. Two plays later, Maye went right back to Boutte for 18 more yards to set the unit up inside the 10-yard line. They needed just one play to find the end zone then as Maye fired one in to Stefon Diggs for a touchdown. [Patriots 21 : 10 Texans]
Trailing by two scores, a pass defense by K’Lavon Chaisson nearly resulted in another interception by C.J. Stroud. A pass interference penalty on Carlton Davis then netted Houston 20 yards before Stroud found Jayden Higgins for 16 more yards to move over midfield. On the other side of the two-minute warning, Stroud then rolled to his left and threw another interception right to Carlton Davis.
Taking over at their own 48-yard line with all three timeouts, New England was set up with a 3rd-and-7 (after a missed DPI call on Kyle Williams) and Maye’s pass into the flat to Henderson was incomplete. The Patriots punted again.
Starting at their own 10-yard line Stroud fired a pair of incompletions into the ground to force a 3rd-and-10. Looking to escape up the pocket, Stroud was brought down for just a one-yard gain.
A 24-yard punt return by Marcus Jones et the offense up at Houston’s 45 with 49 seconds remaining. Maye’s first down drop back saw Will Anderson force a fumble off the left side which Campbell was able to recover. After a timeout with 13 seconds left Maye hit Douglas underneath for eight yards to call another timeout with seven seconds remaining. A 3rd-and-11 pass downfield to Diggs was then incomplete leading to a fourth-down Hail Mary which was intercepted in the end zone to end the half.
The Texans started the second-half with the ball and found a 23-yard completion in the air to Xavier Hutchinson working against Christian Gonzalez. Picking up two more first downs to move into the red zone where they were set up in a 3rd-and-2, where a sprintout right pass was broken up by Marcus Jones to force a field goal. [Patriots 21 : 13 Texans]
Back in a one score game, New England’s offense continued their struggles as Will Campbell was beat again by Anderson on third-down for a strip sack which Houston recovered.
Taking over at the Patriots 33-yard line, Chaisson got home for a first-down sack that went for an eight-yard loss. Getting the yardage back to set-up a 3rd-and-6, Stroud stepped up and took off to pick up to move the chains with his legs. Two plays later, Nick Chubb lost the football as Christian Gonzalez ripped it out with the back fighting for extra yards and Craig Woodson recovered.
Inside their own 20 following the fumble, two runs set New England up in a 3rd-and-8 where Maye flipped one out to Stevenson for no gain. Baringer then punted.
A third-down pass down the right sideline from Stroud drew a DPI penalty on Carlton Davis to net Houston 21 yards. Several New England defenders — with credit going to Anfernee Jennings — then got home for a sack to force 3rd-and-12, where a pass was complete but short of the sticks. Fairbairn’s 51-yard field goal was then good. [Patriots 21 : 16 Texans]
New England started their next drive with a play-action bootleg where Maye flipped one to Austin Hooper who took it 14 yards on a delayed release. Then set up in another 3rd-and-8, Maye’s pass downfield drew a DPI penalty on Derek Stingley to net 17 yards. In their next 3rd-and-5, Maye let another one go down the right sideline and saw Boutte haul it in with one-hand over Stingley for a 32-yard touchdown. [Patriots 28 : 16 Texans]
Down double digits, Houston was forced into a 3rd-and-6 where Stroud’s pass was off target and incomplete. Houston then punted.
A 72-yard punt started New England at their own four-yard line which left them turning to Rhamondre Stevenson, who picked up 25 total yards on four straight carries. Two runs for Henderson then resulted in a 3rd-and-7 and Maye found Diggs to move the chains with 14 yards. Going back to the ground game set up a following 3rd-and-8 where Maye lofted one down the left sideline to Kyle Williams that fell incomplete. New England punted after taking up nearly six minutes off of the clock.
Inside their own 20 with under six minutes remaining, Houston picked up one first-down before a Khyiris Tonga sack set up a 4th-and-18. Houston opted to punt.
With just over four minutes remaining, New England went back into clock killing mode. Stevenson made a nice move to stay inbounds and force Houston to take their final timeout and eventually took things to the two-minute warning. Following the break, Maye’s 3rd-and-10 pass on a rollout was incomplete forcing another punt.
Stroud took the field with 1:45 remaining and found a pair of completions to move the chains before facing 4th-and-4 — where Stroud launched one downfield that was broken up by Robert Spillane.
Drake Maye took it to victory formation.
