Five Texans Players to Watch vs Patriots

The Houston Texans are right on the cusp of their divisional round contest against the New England Patriots for a chance to reach the franchise's first-ever conference championship appearance with a win in a tough environment that is Gillette Stadium in front of a rowdy Patriots crowd in Foxborough.

However, as the Texans head into this one with an astounding ten-straight wins, along with having the league's most potent defense to pair with it, Houston has a real chance to allow their momentum to carry them to another victory despite being road underdogs in their biggest test of the season yet.

To climb that mountain against the Patriots, they'll need a quality performance from a few key contributors on the roster. Whether it be from someone that had the hot hand in Houston's last game against the Pittsburgh Steelers for a commanding 30-6 win, or a player that left more to be desired, the microscope will be on a select handful of guys, and if they're able to step up to the occasion, win number 11 in a row is well within play.

With that in mind, here are five key players to watch as the Texans look to take down the Patriots in their divisional round matchup:

1. Woody Marks, RB

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Houston Texans running back Woody Marks (27) runs during the first half of an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Texans' run game really popped off in the Texans' previous Wild Card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, largely thanks to an explosive day from the hands of Woody Marks.

On 19 carries, Marks had a career-high 119 yards on the ground along with one touchdown for an average of 5.9 yards per attempt; also becoming the Texans' highest rusher in a single game for this season.

If Houston is able to stay similarly committed to the run game, then Marks will have a big role coming his way, and if he's able to take control of his opportunities as he previously did, and remain an efficient chain-mover in the backfield, that makes the job a whole lot easier for this scoring unit collectively.

Sure, the Patriots' run defense presents a tougher task than the Steelers' unit did, but if Marks can be a consistent contributor in the backfield that limits negative plays and rattles off a few explosive chunk plays in the process, he can be a real difference-maker for the Texans' offense.

2. Christian Kirk, WR

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Nico Collins (12) against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of an AFC Wild Card Round game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

It was undoubtedly the best game of the season for Texans wideout Christian Kirk against the Steelers, who logged an astounding eight catches on nine targets for 144 yards and a touchdown, and was a major asset for C.J. Stroud to have in the passing game while dealing with his respective ups and downs.

Now, the responsibilities for Kirk are even higher in this one. Nico Collins is sidelined with a concussion that removes the Texans' number one target from the passing game and will now require some depth chart down the receiver to pick up the slack while he's gone. Kirk clearly has the hot hand, so he might be in line for another heavy share of targets.

The Texans' receiver depth has continued to prove their worth more as the season has gone on. Both Xavier Hutchinson and the duo of Houston's rookie pass-catchers, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, have all had their moments this season. But, of anyone in the receiver room to keep the closest eye on, Kirk might be the name to watch.

3. Tytus Howard, OL

Nov 20, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans offensive tackle Tytus Howard (71) reacts after a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in the second quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Tytus Howard is a fascinating name to watch on the Texans' roster leading up to kickoff. Houston's current starting left guard and their most consistent and versatile offensive lineman of this year will have a big assignment on his hands against the Patriots' interior rush, headlined by Milton Williams, who had an impressive two sacks on Justin Herbert during their previous matchup against the LA Chargers.

However, the Texans are also dealing with a key injury on their offensive line: right tackle Trent Brown is currently listed as questionable for kickoff with a knee injury, and if downgraded, would not only require a key shift upfront in the trenches for their biggest game of the season, but potentially shift Howard over to the right tackle spot, where he spent a lot of time this year before transitioning to a full-time left guard.

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His final starting position before getting the action rolling this weekend in Foxboro might be TBD, but no matter where he lines up, his play will be vital for the protection of C.J. Stroud under center, and thus, critical for the success of Houston's offense.

4. Jalen Pitre, DB

Dec 14, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre (5) jogs off the field after the game against the Arizona Cardinals at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

A ton of attention within the Houston secondary will be placed on the boundary duo of Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter; and rightfully so. But, one player who cannot go overlooked in that unit the Texans take the road against New England will be star nickel Jalen Pitre, who, while he might not have been an All-Pro selection this season, has certainly exemplified the play style of one all year.

Pitre made his presence felt all over the field against the Steelers with an impressive seven tackles, and two tackles for loss. During the regular season, he allowed a 58.9 passer rating when targeted, the lowest among all slot corners with at least 25 targets.

His effectiveness will be huge in the Texans' efforts to limit the explosive plays that Drake Maye can bring to the table for the Patriots' offense, and if he shows out as he did against Pittsburgh, the job becomes a lot tougher for any quarterback, even a potential league MVP.

5. C.J. Stroud, QB

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws during the first half of an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Of course, the Texans' aspired success for this weekend against New England can't be talked about without mentioning C.J. Stroud, who, if Houston wants to reach their first-ever AFC conference title, will need to take much better care of the football and be a bit more effective under center than he was on Monday Night Football.

Stroud had several bobbled snaps and fumbles from center Jake Andrews that added unnecesary challenges for the offense, had one interception at the top of the third quarter that kept Houston from winning the turnover battle, and even missed a handful of simple throws throughout that simply can't be repeated for a second-straight week.

Stroud doesn't need to save the world. He just needs to complement this elite Texans defense enough to provide 20-plus points, and that just might be enough to lift Houston over the top.

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