Patriots links 1/14/26: On to the divisional round vs. Houston

TEAM TALK

• Game Preview, Patriots vs. Texans: Series history, tale of the tape, what to watch for; More.
• From the NFL: Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson nominated for Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Year.
• Mic’d Up: Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye lead Patriots to playoff victory vs. Chargers. (14 min. video)
• Vrabel Xs and Os: Mike Vrabel breaks down film of key moments from win vs. Chargers. (4 min. video)
• Sights & Sounds: Patriots defense records six sacks in Wild Card playoff win vs. Chargers. (4 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered: Chargers recap, necessary fixes, Divisional round. (2 hours)

LOCAL LINKS

• Andrew Callahan helps us get to know the Texans: Why Houston is Drake Maye’s toughest test.
• Jhelum Mehta identifies five key matchups in Patriots vs. Texans. 1. Drake Maye vs. Texans pass rush.
• Darren Hartwell looks at how the Texans are loaded with ex-Patriots under Nick Caserio.
• Mike Reiss cleans out his notebook from the Patriots’ 16-3 win over the Chargers, and looks ahead to the divisional-round matchup against the Texans.
• Steve Balestrieri issues his playoff report card after the 16-3 win over the Chargers. Defense gets to sit at the front of the class, but no one gets detention hall.
• Meghan Ottolini’s By the numbers: Ranking Drake Maye among 21st century elite QB playoff debuts.
• Mike D’Abate spotlights how Rhamondre Stevenson was key to beating the Chargers and remains a focal point for the Patriots on offense.
• Mike D’Abate reports the Pats signed 4 players to add skill position depth ahead of the divisional round.
• Sara Marshall notes that one of the new signees, veteran WR Trent Sherfield Sr., is known for his solid run blocking and special-teams skills – traits Mike Vrabel loves for his roster.
• Meghan Ottolini says the Patriots showed they can survive a Drake Maye down day, and that makes them a scary draw for Divisional Round.
• Jerry Thornton points out one year ago, Mike Vrabel laid out his vision for the Patriots — and he just made good on most of the big ones.
• Doug Kyed’s Patriots mailbag: Defense must replicate dominant performance to advance.
• Alex Barth’s Patriots Mailbag: Taking on the Texans in the Divisional round.
• Sara Marshall mentions how the Patriots beat the Chargers so bad they had to fire multiple coaches.
• Jake Seymour highlights Bill Belichick weighing in on John Harbaugh’s firing and the Pats wild card win.
• Meredith Perri tells us Julian Edelman will join ‘The Great American Baking Show’ for a Super Bowl-themed episode.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) NFL divisional round preview: 4 marquee matchups. Why the Patriots can win: “…Great quarterbacks can make a massive difference in the playoffs, and Maye has been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks all season.”
• Staff (ESPN) NFL playoffs divisional round: Schedule, previews for AFC, NFC. Why the Patriots will win: *Their passing attack. With Maye...