Patriots vs. Texans recap: New England beats Houston to reach AFC Championship

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Touchdown Patriots: Kayshon Boutte only needs one hand!

Early 4Q: Patriots 28, Texans 16

WOW! What a response from Drake Maye and Kayshon Boutte. Incredible.

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Ka'imi Fairbairn nails field goal through snow

Late 3Q: Patriots 21, Texans 16

Really good kick by Fairbairn as the weather conditions continue to deteriorate. He's been excellent this postseason.

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Fifth Texans turnover

An absolute disaster from Houston. Woody Marks coughs it up in the red zone.

Houston is 1 for 4 in the red zone and has five turnovers. That's how you out-gain a team 206-138 ... and trail by eight.

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Will Anderson with ANOTHER strip sack

That's three sacks and two fumbles forced by Will Anderson, who is beating Will Campbell like a drum.

Can the Houston offense cash in?

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Texans get FG, more importantly get running game going

Early 3Q: Patriots 21, Texans 13

It's another red-zone stall out for Houston, but it will be happy to see the running game get going.

First half: 12 carries, 8 yards

First drive of second half: 6 carries, 23 yards

Not much, but it is better!

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Houston is sticking with C.J. Stroud

DeMeco Ryans told ESPN sideline reporter Laura Rutledge that the team has his back. We'll see if the Texans can do anything on the ground ... or if they can protect Stroud better .. or if Stroud can simply play any better.

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HALFTIME: Patriots 21, Texans 10

Here are the numbers to know:

Texans

C.J. Stroud: 10 for 26, 124 yards, one touchdown, four interceptions

Texans: 12 carries, 8 yards (0.7 yards per carry)

Will Anderson: 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Danielle Hunter: 1 sack, 1 forced fumble

Patriots

Drake Maye: 10 for 19, 117 yards, one touchdown, one interception, three fumbles (one lost), sacked three times

Carlton Davis: Two interceptions

Marcus Jones: Interception (returned for a touchdown)

Craig Woodson: Interception

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A FOURTH interception for C.J. Stroud

The Texans have to consider going to Davis Mills. This is a truly awful throw: You simply cannot be late and inside on a throw to the perimeter. Great play by Carlton Davis, but Stroud is playing some of the worst football you can see.

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Touchdown Patriots: Drake Maye to Stefon Diggs

Mid 2Q: Patriots 21, Texans 10

Maye delivered three straight darts: two to Kayshone Boutte and then this beauty to Diggs, who makes an even better catch.

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Dalton Schultz (calf) is out, Woody Marks (shoulder) is questionable to return

For the Patriots, Rhamondre Stevenson (eye) is also questionable to return.

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A third C.J. Stroud turnover, this one off Xavier Hutchinson's hands

This one will go down as a Stroud interception, but really, Xavier Hutchinson has to catch this. Craig Woodson comes up with the pick.

The Patriots weren't able to do anything with the takeaway, though. The Texans' defense is standing strong.

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Touchdown Patriots: Marcus Jones pick six

Early 2Q: Patriots 14, Texans 10

C.J. Stroud is having an absolutely disastrous playoffs, and this time a horrific decision leads to a Marcus Jones pick six.

Also, notice Harrison Bryant (No. 88) get tripped up as he comes across the formation; that's likely Stroud's first read. Still, he absolutely cannot make this throw.

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Touchdown Texans: Christian Kirk again!

Early 2Q: Texans 10, Patriots 7

Kirk had a huge wild card game against the Steelers, and now he has a touchdown today, too.

It's the first time Kirk has had a touchdown catch in consecutive games since 2023.

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Drake Maye gives it right back

Tommy Togiai punches it out, Azeez Al-Shaair recovers, and it's two turnovers in the last three plays.

This Houston defense is ferocious.

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What a play by Carlton Davis!

And what an awful throw from C.J. Stroud, who already has four turnovers under under five quarters of playoff football this season.

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Danielle Hunter makes his mark early

Late 1Q: Patriots 7, Texans 3

The Patriots got VERY lucky to get this one back.

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Dalton Schultz headed to the locker room

This would be a big blow for Houston, which is without Nico Collins. Schultz has caught two passes for 47 yards already. He's questionable to return with a calf injury, per the broadcast.

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C.J. Stroud makes big play, but Texans settle for FG

Mid 1Q: Patriots 7, Texans 3

Stroud missed his first three passes and looked to be in trouble on a third-and-8 before a 42-yard pass to Dalton Schultz (the second-longest catch of Schultz's career!)

The Texans later appeared to score a touchdown, but it was called back for an illegal shift. Houston had to settle for a field goal. Keep an eye on this throughout the game: Houston was 30th in red zone touchdown percentage this season.

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Touchdown Patriots: Drake Maye to DeMario Douglas on fourth down

Early 1Q: Patriots 7, Texans 0

The Patriots make the Texans' aggressive defense pay: Drake Maye rips a pass to DeMario Douglas right past a diving Calen Bullock.

This is how Houston's defense plays: they will break up a ton of passes and leave their secondary players on islands, but if there's one mistake, it can turn into a big one.

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Rhamondre Stevenson rips off the game's first big play

We've already seen the effects of the weather -- quick throws, ugly throws, drops and slipping -- but Rhamondre Stevenson just had a 20-yard run to get into Texans territory.

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We are underway from Foxborough!

Drake Maye and the Patriots start with the ball.

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Drake Maye's legs could be big

The Texans' defense is outstanding. It very well could take over this game. But there is one area it can struggle: on quarterback runs. Houston allows 9.2 yards per quarterback scramble, the highest number in the NFL.

Maye led the NFL in scrambles (62), and only Josh Allen and Justin Herbert had more yards on scrambles.

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Weather report: It could get ugly

It doesn't look pleasant inside Gillette Stadium. There's snow, there's a slick playing surface, and there's more precipitation coming all afternoon.

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Patriots inactives: Good news for the hosts

Both Khyiris Tonga (foot) and Harold Landry III (knee - questionable) are good to go for New England. Tonga, who hadn't played in nearly a month, is a big boost for the run defense. Also, Christian Gonzalez cleared concussion protocol on Friday and is good to go.

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