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On a snow-soaked Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots took another decisive step in their rapid turnaround, defeating the Houston Texans 28-16 to secure a spot in the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 2018. But as the celebration unfolded, head coach Mike Vrabel made it clear the moment belonged to the entire organization — not him.
Following the Divisional Round victory, Vrabel struck a measured tone while addressing reporters, emphasizing the collective effort that powered New England through a chaotic, turnover-heavy contest.
“Well, I’m always excited for our organization, excited for the players. I am appreciative of their work, their efforts. Everybody’s stepping up. We’re using everybody. Everybody’s making plays. Everybody’s helping us win,” Vrabel said during his post-game press conference.
The conditions were far from ideal. Snowfall contributed to eight combined turnovers, but while New England coughed the ball up three times, Houston gave it away five. The difference came in execution when it mattered most, particularly from second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who threw three touchdown passes and continued to strengthen his MVP case.
After the game, Vrabel reinforced the message that this run has been built on buy-in across the roster. Despite entering the season with modest expectations after a trivial four-win campaign a year ago, the Patriots are no longer treating progress as a consolation prize. That mindset was evident when Vrabel addressed how his team felt about reaching the AFC title game ahead of schedule.
“I’m excited for these guys, but they’re also not satisfied, and I can tell that. It wasn’t pretty,” Vrabel added. “The defense kept us in there, and then when we needed it, our offense was able to come through late in the game there in the second half with a touchdown to give us a two-score lead. And then I felt like that drive, backed up there from the three-yard line where we ran the ball and took a lot of clock, was pretty classy.”
Defense was the backbone of the win. New England recorded three sacks, forced five turnovers, and delivered a momentum-swinging pick-six by Marcus Jones, quieting a Texans unit that had been widely praised entering the matchup.
Now, with the Denver Broncos awaiting in the AFC Championship and the Broncos facing uncertainty at QB, the Patriots find themselves one win away from another Super Bowl appearance. Vrabel’s message, however, remains unchanged — appreciate the moment, but don’t stop short.
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