Patriots-Texans: Divisional Weekend Breakdown

Playoff football is back in New England, and the Patriots are hosting the Texans with a trip to the AFC Championship on the line. We start with leftover thoughts from the Pats’ Wild Card win over the Chargers: Drake Maye’s second-half composure, the dominant defensive line, and how New England shut down Justin Herbert. Then we dive deep into Patriots vs Texans: how Josh McDaniels can attack Houston’s elite defense, why Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter are the key to the game, and how the Patriots’ defense can overwhelm CJ Stroud - especially with Nico Collins out. We break down matchups, EPA stats, scheme tendencies, and the players who will decide this game, before giving our final predictions. We also preview the rest of Divisional Weekend around the NFL, breaking down the other matchups, storylines, and how the playoff picture could shake out. Follow The Next Ring Instagram: @TheNextRing YouTube: @TheNextRingPod X (Twitter): @TheNextRingPod TikTok: @TheNextRing