| Houston Texans (12-5) at New England Patriots (14-3) | |||
| Game Details: Sunday, January 18, 3:00 p.m. EST | |||
| Location: Gillette Stadium Foxborough, MA | |||
| Where to Watch: ESPN |
AFC Divisional Matchup
With the AFC divisional games underway, the Houston Texans are going to continue their East Coast trip against the New England Patriots in the freezing temperatures of Foxborough. The Patriots, who are coming off an ugly win against the Chargers, are hosting a red-hot Texans team that is coming off a strong win in Pittsburgh on the Wild Card weekend. With both teams heating up in the playoffs, the Houston Texans and the New England Patriots are hoping to get a good game for bettors on Sunday afternoon.
Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | +3 | +150 | Over 40.5 |
| New England Patriots | -3 | -178 | Under 40.5 |
** Odds Subject to Change – Courtesy of FanDuel**
Tale of The Tape
| Houston Texans | Team Stats – Avg Per Game | New England Patriots |
|---|---|---|
| 23.8 | Points Per Game | 28.8 |
| 218.1 | Passing Yards Per Game | 250.5 |
| 108.9 | Rushing Yards Per Game | 128.9 |
| 17.4 | Opponents Points Per Game Allowed | 18.8 |
| 183.5 | Opponents Pass Yards Allowed | 193.5 |
| 93.7 | Opponents Rush Yards Allowed | 101.7 |
Statistics from various online sources, courtesy of ESPN and FOX Sports
Key Details
Houston Texans
After a dominating win in Pittsburgh, the Houston Texans are hoping to continue their dominance in New England. The Texans‘ playoff run starts with a bang, with their defense dominating the Pittsburgh Steelers. Houston’s defense has been amazing at allowing 17 points a game, and wreaking havoc with recovering a fumble for a touchdown, and getting a pick-six against the Steelers.
While the defense for the Texans has been dominating teams all season, the Texans’ offense has been inconsistent at best and horrid at worst. During the win, CJ Stroud had five fumbles and an interception. Stroud and the offense have been playing poorly this season, with poor offensive play calling and inconsistent quarterback play from Stroud, along with a weak offensive line, and could struggle against the Patriots and their secondary.
New England Patriots
While the Houston Texans are dominating in the playoffs, they will face the New England Patriots, who are having a bounce-back season. New England has been having a strong regular season after two brutal seasons with back-to-back 4-win seasons before the 2025-2026 NFL season and hiring Mike Vrabel. The Patriots’ offense has been playing well, and they showcased their talent with their wild-card win against the Los Angeles Chargers and their first playoff win since 2018.
New England, in their win on Sunday, made Justin Herbert’s life hectic by sacking him six times. Along with the Patriots’ defense playing well against the Chargers, the offense played well, with Drake Maye having a decent game with a touchdown and an interception, and the run game playing well. The offense, while potentially could have a long game against the Texans, could play well enough to win the game for bettors.
Prediction
With both teams coming off strong wins and both defenses looking strong, the Houston Texans’ defense could win another game against the New England Patriots at Foxborough. New England’s offense has been playing well, but could struggle with the Texans’ elite defense in the divisional round, especially with the passing game from Maye.
While a great quarterback, Maye was sluggish in the win against the Chargers and could have another rough game against the Texans’ defense. Houston’s offense is its weak point, but with limiting his mistakes, Stroud could have a comeback game against the Patriots, even with facing a stout secondary.
