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The New England Patriots are back.
From 2001 to 2018, 13 AFC Championship Games featured the Pats, including in each of the final eight seasons of that stretch.
After six seasons without them, New England is back to what feels like home.
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Marcus Jones (25) of the New England Patriots celebrates after returning an interception for a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second quarter in the AFC divisional playoff game at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 18, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
Thanks to forcing five turnovers against the Houston Texans, the Pats took home a 28-16 victory in the divisional round on Sunday.
The Patriots were aggressive early, going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Houston 28 in winter weather, and it worked out with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Demario Douglas. The Texans had to settle for a field goal after a rushing touchdown by Woody Marks was called back because of an illegal shift.
Houston took a 10-7 lead with a Christian Kirk touchdown early in the second quarter, and the Texans were in business after forcing a Patriots punt. But the momentum was short-lived after C.J. Stroud threw a pick-six — his second of four interceptions in the first half — to give New England the lead. After a Houston punt, Drake Maye found Stefon Diggs to make it 21-10 with 3:12 to go.
Stefon Diggs of the New England Patriots celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second quarter in the AFC divisional playoff game at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 18, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
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Houston kicked two field goals in the third quarter to make it a five-point game, all while the Patriots offense stalled. But in the fourth quarter, Maye hit Kayshon Boutte on a deep ball, and the receiver made an incredible diving grab in the end zone to go up 28-16 with 12:58 left.
Stroud struggled from the jump and finished by completing just 42.6% of his passes (20-for-47) for 212 yards.
After an MVP-caliber season, Maye’s numbers weren’t outstanding, as he posted just 179 yards on 16-of-27 passing and three turnovers himself, but with the help of his defense, he is filling the shoes of Tom Brady quite nicely.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws in the third quarter against the Houston Texans in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II/Imagn Images)
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It will be the Pats against the Denver Broncos next week for a trip to the Super Bowl, a rematch of the AFC Championship 10 years ago between Brady and Peyton Manning.
That season, the quarterbacks had been in the league for a combined 33 seasons — this season is both Maye and Bo Nix’s second. Although, after Nix’s injury late on Saturday, it’ll likely be Jarrett Stidham starting for Denver.
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