Back like they never left. The New England Patriots are heading back to the AFC Championship game. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye has led this team to a dominant Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans, 28-16. The quick turnaround from being a four-win team last season to being one game away from the Super Bowl is remarkable. Let’s dive into their win.
Patriots’ Dominant Win
It seems like yesterday they were in this spot. One game away from punching their ticket to the Super Bowl. Before we even talk ‘The Big Game,’ the beating they put on the Texans was something I wasn’t expecting. We saw CJ Stroud play shaky against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. In New England, he was awful. That might have been one of the worst performances I have ever seen.
I want to spotlight their defense for a moment. For any questions anyone had about their unit, they silenced all doubters and answered all questions. This defense shut the Texans down. Held them to 16 points, only 260 total yards, and forced five turnovers, including a pick-6. You cannot have better performance from a defensive perspective. Defense wins championships.
What’s Next?
New England will travel to Denver to take on the Broncos on Sunday at 3 PM EST. Heading to Mile High is a challenge in itself, but they won’t have to face Bo Nix, who suffered a season-ending injury in their win. Next week could be a defensive battle, but who will come out on top?
Final Thoughts
If you had told me before the season that the AFC Championship would be the Broncos hosting the Patriots, I would have asked what year it was. With the top two seeds in the conference facing off, who represents the AFC in Super Bowl 60?
As always, thank you so much for checking out my thoughts and instant reaction to the New England Patriots defeating the Houston Texans and advancing to the AFC Championship. Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day and look forward to seeing you again soon.
