The New England Patriots are on to the AFC Championship Game. In the last game of the season at Gillette Stadium, New England outlasted Houston with a final score of 28-16.
Here is who caught our eye for better or worse upon live-viewing the Patriots’ divisional playoff victory.
WR Kayshon Boutte: New England’s top pas catcher made the most of his three receptions as he finished with a game-high 75 yards and a touchdown. Boutte’s first two catches came on back-to-back drop backs working the same slant concept through the second passing window for gains of 28 and 18 (to help set up Stefon Diggs’ touchdown). Boutte then made perhaps the play of the game, as he hauled in a one-handed, 32-yard touchdown catch over Derek Stingley Jr. to put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter.
“He keeps on making plays, making me look good,” Drake Maye said. “Kind of the same type of throw as my first one to him [last year], and he made an even better catch this time. Props to Kayshon for keeping on playing. He was huge for us tonight.”
ED K’Lavon Chaisson: After leading New England’s pass rush with two sacks last week, K’Lavon Chaisson generated a team-high six pressures and one sack in the Divisional Round, including four quick pressures to match his career-high. Chaisson had the initial pressure to force an errant throw on Marcus Jones’ pick-six, as the pass rusher became the first Patriots defender since Dont’a Hightower in 2018 to record four quick pressures in a postseason game.
CB Christian Gonzalez, CB Carlton Davis, and CB Marcus Jones: With Christian Gonzalez playing the field side, the top corner was targeted a team-high 16 times on Sunday and allowed just seven receptions for 58 yards (3.6 yards per target). New England’s top corner forced five tight windows, including four in man coverage, to go along with a pass deflection and forced fumble. Carlton Davis then handled the boundary and before leaving with a head injury allowed three catches on eight targets while hauling in two interceptions off of C.J. Stroud.
Inside, Marcus Jones limited Christian Kirk to just two catches for 20 yards and a touchdown, but Jones matched the points with a pick-six of his own.
OT Will Campbell: The Patriots’ rookie left tackle appeared to continue to struggle in live action, as he was initially charted with four pressures against and two sacks allowed to Will Anderson — one forcing a fumble in which Anderson’s get-off would have made it hard for any tackle to stop. Campbell had a blunt review of his performance: “I need to play better. I hold myself to a higher standard than what I put out tonight.”
