How Patriots Match Up vs. Texans in Playoff Game

The No. 2-seeded New England Patriots saw their divisional round opponent finally be revealed as the No. 5 seed Houston Texans earlier this week.

Houston will visit Gillette Stadium on Jan. 18, with both teams in the hunt for a Super Bowl LX appearance and potential championship.

For New England, the Divisional Round of the playoffs come after it secured a 16-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers — a dominant defensive showing that saw opposing quarterback Justin Herbert be sacked six times.

For the Texans, they blew the game open in the fourth quarter to earn a 30-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Houston earned the top Wild Card spot following a second-place finish in the AFC South. But, it's worth mentioning that the Texans have yet to advance past the divisional round in their entire 24-year history.

Here's a starting look at how the Patriots matchup against the Texas franchise.

What Playing the Texans Means for the Patriots' Postseason

Fans should expect to see a game similar to New England's most recent slugfest against the Chargers.

Offensively, second-year quarterback Drake Maye — who is in his first NFL postseason — will really need to light things up against an elite Texans defense.

Jan 11, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) jogs off the field after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Houston finished the regular season with the second-ranked unit in scoring defense (17.4 PPG) and expected points added, trailing only the Seattle Seahawks in both categories. The Texans are also the No. 1 ranked defense in EPA per drop-back.

Schematically, the Patriots won't have much to figure out; the Texans are a zone-based defense that structurally doesn't confuse many, which Houston does make up for with its skill. New England head coach Mike Vrabel and co. should expect post-safety coverages mixed in as well.

"Yeah, of course," Vrabel said at his Jan. 14 press conference when asked if the Texans will have the best defense the Patriots have faced so far this year. "They have great talent, [a] great scheme, they play hard. I respect how hard they play. They are not only talented but they have a play demeanor I can appreciate."

Though, perhaps where the Pats can look to excel is the fact that the metrics don't seem to love Houston's pass rush, as they rank 18th in team pressure rate and 21st in pass-rush win rate.

See you in the Divisional Round.

Texans & Patriots Sunday at 3:00 PM on ESPN/ABC. pic.twitter.com/Rb44R29lCB
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 13, 2026

New England will also see a familiar face return in former Patriots assistant Nick Caley, who currently coordinates the Houston offense. Under his charge the Texans finished the year ranked 13th in scoring offense and have struggled to score points as a result of how they execute situationally.

Houston's offense line has seen better times — the Texas are ranked 30th in pass-blocking win rate and last in run-blocking win rate. For the New England franchise coming off the previously mentioned high-number of sacks against Herbert, this will be a key to exploit.

While the Texans will undoubtedly have the entire Lone Star state pulling for them, the Patriots beating Houston could signal that New England is not just simply winning another postseason game, but that the dynasty has once again been reignited.

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