Sportsnaut
The final field is set for the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, with a matchup between the Houston Texans and New England Patriots for a spot in the AFC Championship Game. It could prove to be a clash that decides which of the two will be the future power of the AFC and potentially represent the conference in the Super Bowl a few weeks from now.
Let’s dive into our Texans vs Patriots predictions.
C.J. Stroud is coming off a relatively ugly performance in the Wild Card Round. He took 3 sacks, finished with a 62.5 ESPN QBR and had 5 fumbles with an interception. This aligns with his numbers from the regular season. In 2025, per PFF, Stroud ranked 32nd among 41 qualified quarterbacks in passer rating when pressured (65.3) and 22nd in completion rate (49.6 percent). While New England’s pass rush is one of the weaker units left standing in the Divisional Round, it is better now that Harold Landry and Milton Williams are healthy. Houston’s offensive line is likely to struggle again in this one, and No. 1 wideout Nico Collins (concussion) is iffy to play. All of that will culminate in another rough playoff performance for Stroud.
Read More: NFL Power Rankings after Wild Card Round, Ranking Teams in Divisional Round
Rookie running back Woody Marks was a true bright spot for the Texans’ offense in the Wild Card Round, punching in a critical touchdown and finishing the night with 112 yards and a 5.9 yards-per-carry average. He will still have to share a workload with Nick Chubb, and this game script certainly will not be as favorable as it was versus Pittsburgh, but there are opportunities here for Marks. He is facing a Patriots’ defense that allowed 141 rushing yards per game and 5 yards per carry from Weeks 10 through 17. New England’s front seven is now healthier than it was a few weeks ago, but opponents can still have a fair amount of success against this defense. Marks will not repeat the numbers he put up in his playoff debut, but he will be one of Houston’s most productive offensive players in the Divisional Round.
Read More: NFL Defense Rankings Entering Divisional Round
Will Anderson Jr. and Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye already have a history. Last season, Anderson sacked Maye three times and finished the game with five pressures, four tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits. New England will already have its hands full with Danielle Hunter on the other side, but Will Campbell should, for the most part, be able to hold his own. While Morgan Moses has played well this season, allowing just one sack, Anderson Jr. will find a way to take Maye down twice in the Divisional Round.
The potential absence of Nico...
