Christopher Price’s halftime observations — 4:50 p.m.
By Christopher Price
Two quarters are in the books here at Gillette Stadium, and the Patriots are up, 21-10.
Drake Maye: 10-19, 117 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Kayshon Boutte: 2 catches, 4 targets, 43 yards
DeMario Douglas: 2 catches, 2 targets, 36 yards, 1 TD
Rhamondre Stevenson: 3 carries, 25 yards
Carlton Davis: 2 INTs
C.J. Stroud: 10-26, 124 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs
Woody Marks: 9 carries, 3 yards
Dalton Schultz: 2 catches, 2 targets, 47 yards
Some halftime takeaways …
• The one was billed as a tough, physical game, one where scoring will be at a premium, and both teams didn’t disappoint in the first half. Lots of mixing it up after the whistle, pushing and shoving, and general ill will. There has been a steady stream of players to the sideline, including Craig Woodson (head), Stevenson (eye), Marks (shoulder), and Schultz (calf). Schultz was downgraded to out midway through the second quarter. With Nico Collins already out, Houston will have to play the second half without their top two pass catchers. Not ideal.
• After a good start, the New England offense struggled. The Patriots were 1 for 7 on their first seven third-down opportunities. A large part of the credit goes to the Houston defensive front, which was swarming to the ball and forced Maye to fumble three times. The New England defense came up with four interceptions, two from Davis. It was competitive enough to give the Patriots a halftime lead, and the offense put together a nice drive at the end of the half that culminated with a touchdown pass from Maye to Stefon Diggs.
If New England is going to advance to the AFC Championship Game, the offense must do a better job holding on to the ball and setting up third-and-manageable, as opposed to the third-and-longs they had for much of the first half.
• The Patriots broke through on their second offensive series. Stevenson picked up some quality yardage on a screen from Maye, and followed that with a big 20-yard pickup. The first big call of the game for New England came when it faced a fourth-and-one at the Houston 28. Maye hit Douglas over the middle on a perfectly timed in-cut, and Douglas took it to the house for the first score of the afternoon, making it 7-0 with 9:35 left in the first quarter.
• The best way to counter an aggressive Houston defense? Use that aggression against them. Play fakes, reverses, screens, etc. Josh McDaniels called on the screen game on multiple occasions throughout the first half, and while it wasn’t always smooth, New England did (mostly) good job executing.
• The worst stretch for the Patriots’ defense came on the Texans’ second offensive drive, when Stroud shook loose for a 42-yard completion to Schultz that turned out to be the longest play from scrimmage allowed by New England in the first half. (The Patriots have struggled against productive tight ends all year. Certainly a point of emphasis for them, this offseason is to find a Kyle Dugger type. Hmmm.) Davis was then whistled for a face-mask penalty a few plays later, and Houston settled for a 26-yard field goal. Considering that points will be at a premium this afternoon, the red-zone stop (which was due in part to an illegal shift call on the Texans), feels like a win for New England.
• Best defensive play for the Patriots came midway through the second quarter when K’Lavon Chaisson came flying in off the edge and drilled Stroud. (He was unblocked, remarkably.) The hit forced an errant throw, one that was corralled by Marcus Jones for the pick-6. Really terrific display of team defense for the Patriots. (Chaisson has had a terrific year. Great addition.) New England got another bump on Houston’s next offensive series when Woodson came up with the pick on a tipped ball, but the Patriots ended up going three and out.
• The Patriots talked about protecting the football all week, but New England’s third offensive series was a dicey one. It started when Kyle Williams lost the handle on a kick return late in the first quarter, but the ball was quickly scooped up by a teammate. Maye lost the handle on a third-down sack from Danielle Hunter, but New England got the ball back (thanks to Will Campbell) before ultimately punting it away. After a Carlton Davis pick (an artful interception along the sideline), the Patriots proceeded to turn the ball over when a busted play led to a hectic Maye scramble, one that ended with a fumble deep in New England territory. It’s wet and cold, but New England has to do a better job holding on to the football.
• The Texans did well to respond after that Maye fumble, taking the ball 27 yards on six plays (one of which was a successful fourth-down conversion) for a touchdown. The drive was capped by a nice throw-and-catch from Stroud to Christian Kirk to make it 10-7. After Jones’s pick-6 made it 14-10 with just over 10 minutes left in the second quarter, the Patriots pushed the lead to double digits with a tidy drive that was capped by a brilliant seven-yard touchdown pass from Maye to Stefon Diggs with just over three minutes left in the half. The ball was zipped to a spot where only the receiver could come away with it. A terrific play.
• Random note: Marks isn’t wearing gloves. Am I the only one who thinks that’s a little odd?
• The Texans will get the ball to start the second half.
Patriots four first-half INTs, while rare, are not unprecedented — 4:46 p.m.
This game is the fourth time in playoff history that a quarterback has been picked 4+ times in the first half. The others were the Jaguars in 2023 (Trevor Lawrence) and Craig Morton in the Super Bowl in 1978. Amazingly, both teams that got picked four times in the first half won. — Alex Speier
Patriots lead after a turnover-ridden first half — 4:45 p.m.
The first half ends on a turnover, as Drake Maye’s Hail Mary attempt is picked off in the end zone as time expires. New England had a late chance to score after getting the ball at midfield but lost 8 yards right away on a strip sack — Maye’s third fumble of the day, with only one lost — and couldn’t recover enough ground to try a field goal. The Patriots will take a 21-10 lead into the locker room. — Alex Speier
History is on the Patriots’ side — 4:42 p.m.
This is the 68th time a team has recorded four picks in a game. In the prior 67 instances, teams with 4+ picks are 62-5. — Alex Speier
Another forced turnover, another punt for New England — 4:35 p.m.
The Patriots have struggled to capitalize on all these turnovers, as New England again goes three and out after an interception and punts from midfield. The Patriots haven’t scored on any of their three possessions that followed a takeaway by the defense. — Amin Touri
Make that four picks for the Pats — 4:34 p.m.
A remarkable first half for the Patriots’ secondary continues with their fourth interception of the day, as Carlton Davis snatches another throw from C.J. Stroud to give New England one more chance at points before halftime. The Patriots will take over at midfield with just under two minutes to play and a 21-10 lead. — Amin Touri
Since 2000, teams are 40-9 (.816) in the playoffs when picking off 3+ passes — as the Patriots have now done.
The 21 points by the Patriots are the most allowed by the Texans in a first half this year. The previous high was 20 by the Jaguars in Week 9 — in a game the Texans won, 36-29, coming back from a 20-10 halftime deficit. — Alex Speier
Stefon Diggs adds to the lead — 4:25 p.m.
The Patriots offense finally finds some life again, going 56 yards on five plays and extending the lead on a 7-yard touchdown throw from Drake Maye to Stefon Diggs. Forty-five of those yards came on a pair of catches from Kayshon Boutte before Diggs laid out between two defenders for a tough catch that gives New England a 21-10 lead with 3:12 left in the half. — Amin Touri
Dalton Schultz downgraded to out — 4:16 p.m.
The Texans will be without their two receiving leaders for the remainder of the game. With Nico Collins ruled out pregame, Dalton Schultz (calf) has now been downgraded to out. — Emma Healy
New England can’t generate points off its pick —
The Patriots’ offense can’t do anything with strong field position, again going three and out and opting for another punt from Bryce Baringer. His fourth punt of the day is his best, as Baringer pins Houston inside its own 10-yard line with 6:33 to go in the second quarter. — Amin Touri
Patriots’ defense comes up with another INT —
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: The Patriots picked off C.J. Stroud.
This one isn’t on the quarterback, as Stroud’s pass hit Xavier Hutchinson in the hands, but Hutchinson couldn’t hang on and Craig Woodson intercepted the pass for New England’s third pick of the half. Woodson was already down by contact by took off and ran with it, absorbing a huge hit from Texans running back Woody Marks for his troubles. New England will take over at the Texans’ 48-yard line with a chance to extend the lead. — Amin Touri
This is the third time this year Stroud and the Texans have been picked three times. Remarkably, Houston won each of the other two games in which Stroud was intercepted thrice. — Alex Speier
Marcus Jones’s pick-6 gives New England the lead —
Who needs offense, anyway? The Patriots defense comes up with another big takeaway and a defensive score, as Marcus Jones snatches a tipped pass out of the air and returns it for a touchdown to make it a 14-10 New England lead.
C.J. Stroud took a big hit as he threw (courtesy of K’Lavon Chaisson), left the ball hanging in the air, and the Patriots’ fastest player was in the right place for a pick-6 to put New England back in front. — Amin Touri
That’s the first pick-six of the year allowed by Stroud and the Texans, with Marcus Jones fielding the pop fly and weaving his way into the end zone. Jones has two pick-sixes this year — joining Devin Bush Jr. as the only players in the NFL with multiple pick-six returns this season. — Alex Speier
Another punt for the Patriots —
Another offense drive for the Patriots struggles to go anywhere, with New England picking up just one first down (on a third-down scramble from Drake Maye) before bringing Bryce Baringer out for another punt. Maye missed a couple throws on that drive, including one over the top for Kyle Williams. — Amin Touri
The Texans quickly capitalize on that Drake Maye fumble, as C.J. Stroud hits Christian Kirk for a 10-yard touchdown that gives Houston a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter. Marcus Jones was in one-on-one coverage against Kirk and got beat on an out-breaking route on the goal line. — Amin Touri
Stroud hadn’t been very good this year against the blitz, forging just a 90.5 passer rating with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions against an extra rusher, 24th in the NFL among quarterbacks with at least 50 attempts against blitzes. But, with the Patriots selling out, Stroud found Kirk against Marcus Jones for a TD to give the Texans a 10-7 lead. — Alex Speier
Patriots lead after the first —
One quarter is in the books at Gillette Stadium, and the Patriots lead, 7-3, in a sloppy start to this divisional-round matchup.
There were three punts and two turnovers in the first 15 minutes, with the two teams combining for six first downs on seven drives. It’s been a tricky start for Drake Maye, who is 5 of 7 for 54 yards and a touchdown but has already fumbled twice, one of which Houston recovered to set up strong field position to start the second quarter. — Amin Touri
Drake Maye turns it right back over —
The Patriots give the ball straight back, as some confusion on a handoff — Drake Maye went one way, Rhamondre Stevenson the other — leads to a short rush and another fumble from Maye, with this one recovered by Houston. The Texans will get the ball back with great field position at the New England 27-yard line. — Amin Touri
This is Drake Maye’s fourth multi-fumble game of the season, tied for most in the NFL. Maye and Justin Herbert are the only players in the NFL with four multi-fumble games. — Alex Speier
Carlton Davis comes up with a huge INT —
The Patriots defense comes up with a huge takeaway, as Carlton Davis lays out for an overthrown pass from C.J. Stroud and gets his knee down in bounds for an interception. That’s Davis’s first pick for the Patriots, who will get the ball back at their own 18-yard line late in the first quarter. — Amin Touri
Robert Spillane, Dalton Schultz questionable to return —
New England linebacker Robert Spillane is questionable to return to the game with a thumb injury.
Texans tight end Dalton Schultz is also questionable, heading to the locker room with a calf injury.
Patriots punt it away —
The Patriots follow their touchdown drive with an ugly three and out, which included a stuffed run on first down followed by a batted-down pass on second down and a strip sack (and 10-yard loss after it was recovered by tackle Will Campbell) that forced New England to punt from its own end zone.
Bryce Baringer narrowly got his punt away, and the Texans returned it to the Patriots’ 47 while Brenden Schooler (and the Gillette Stadium crowd) appealed for a holding call down the field. His request went unanswered, and Houston will take over at midfield. — Amin Touri
New England holds Houston to a field goal —
The Texans respond with a scoring drive of their own, going 65 yards in 10 plays before Ka’imi Fairbairn hits a 24-yard field goal to make it 7-3. A huge chunk of those yards came on one busted-coverage play, with Texans tight end Dalton Schultz having half the field to himself on a 42-yard catch and run to get Houston deep into New England territory.
The Texans seemed to have punched in a touchdown from the 1-yard line, but an illegal shift call negated the score, and Houston settled for a field goal. — Amin Touri
Patriots have made a habit of scoring first —
The Patriots entered today having scored first in 9 games this year, going 8-1 in those games. The only loss was the home game against the Bills. The Texans were 4-2 when the opponent scored first (compared to 9-3 when they scored first). — Alex Speier
Maye hits Douglas for a TD on fourth down — 3:15 p.m.
The Patriots go bold early and it pays off, as Drake Maye hits DeMario Douglas over the middle on fourth and 1 and Douglas breaks free for a 28-yard touchdown. Gillette Stadium is already bouncing as New England takes a 7-0 lead over Houston with 9:35 to play in the first quarter. — Amin Touri
Entering Sunday, the Patriots had converted 73 percent (19 for 26) of fourth-down attempts, the second highest conversion rate in the NFL. They’re now 20 for 27. That was their fourth touchdown of the year on fourth down.
The Texans defense had stopped opponents on fourth downs 50 percent (12 of 24) of the time this year, the ninth-best fourth-down shutdown percentage in the NFL. That was the third touchdown they’ve given up on fourth down this year. — Alex Speier
Houston’s defense gets an early stop — 3:06 p.m.
A slow start for the Patriots offense, which quickly goes three and out to open this divisional round matchup. Bryce Baringer is out early for his first punt of the day, which the Texans return to their own 26-yard line to start their first drive. — Amin Touri
Best on best in the playoffs — 3:06 p.m.
The last time the No. 1 and 2 seeds in both the AFC and NFC advanced to the conference championships was the 2018 season. The No. 1 seeds (Seattle and Denver) have already punched their ticket, so we’ll see what happens to the Patriots and Bears today. — Nicole Yang
A note on the weather — 3:05 p.m.
Obviously, much will be made of the weather today — but the Texans, surprisingly, have been as good a cold-weather team as any in the NFL this year. The Texans are 3-0 this year in games that were 40 degrees or below at kickoff. They were the only team in the NFL to play at least three such games and not lose any of them. Of course, the Patriots were 6-1 at 40 degrees and below at kickoff — tied with the Bills for the most wins in cold games this year. In franchise history, the Patriots are 22-5 in playoff games in 40-degree (or colder) weather at kickoff. — Alex Speier
We are underway — 3:02 p.m.
Houston wins the toss and defers. The Patriots will receive the ball to start the game.
Here’s how the Globe’s reporters think this will go — 2:45 p.m.
Dan Shaughnessy: Patriots 16, Texans 13. Every person at Gillette is already certain that the Patriots are in the Super Bowl, but the Texans have other ideas. Houston has never been in the conference championship game and they see opportunity here today. Look for another rock fight with a lot of field goals.
Ben Volin: Patriots 23, Texans 10. The Texans’ defense is elite, but don’t forget about the Patriots’ defense, too. It is at its healthiest in weeks and held the Chargers to 3 points last week. Maye and the Patriots’ offense will have a tough test, but it’s hard seeing C.J. Stroud and a shaky offensive line having much success on Sunday.
Nicole Yang: Patriots 24, Texans 13. New England’s magical season keeps on going.
Christopher Price: Patriots 20, Texans 14. The loss of Nico Collins, Houston’s best and most consistent offensive threat all year, is huge. The Texans will likely struggle to move the ball, especially against a New England defense that will have its full complement of starters for the first time in months. The Patriots won’t offer a lot of offensive fireworks against the Houston defense, but in the end, they’ll be able to accomplish just enough to move on to the conference championship next week in Denver.
Some celebrities in the house — 2:30 p.m.
It’s a star-studded sideline ahead of Sunday’s divisional matchup. “High School Musical” star Zac Efron is on the sideline with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and Bruins legend Zdeno Chara, whose No. 33 went to the TD Garden rafters this week, was spotted shaking hands with some of the Patriots during warmups.
Former Patriots Rob Ninkovich and James White are also in attendance.
It’s a snowy day in Foxborough — 2:20 p.m.
The prospect of snowy playing conditions for Sunday’s Patriots-Texans matchup at Gillette Stadium is now a reality as the track of a coastal storm has taken shape. The two most notable changes are the earlier start time for the snow, between 1 and 4 p.m., just as the game gets underway, and the increased snowfall projections. — Dave Epstein
No accumulation on the field just yet, but the snow is coming down steadily here in Foxborough. — Emma Healy
The Globe staff’s players to watch — 2:15 p.m.
Here’s who the Globe reporters and columnists are keeping an eye on.
Patriots
Andy Borregales. The kicker has had a great season, he’s geeked about the Hurricanes playing at home tomorrow night in the National Championship game, and he’s due for a Vinatieri-like playoff moment. This game’s going to be closer than you all think, so today’s the day. — Dan Shaughnessy
Morgan Moses. The Texans don’t have one All-Pro pass rusher, they have two: Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, who combined for 27 sacks and six forced fumbles this season. The only way the Patriots lose Sunday is if they can’t protect Drake Maye and the Texans’ defense creates big turnovers and scores points. — Ben Volin
Will Campbell. Can the rookie left tackle hold up against Houston’s withering pass rush? New England figures to help him as much as possible this week with a focus on quick releases, play-fakes, and an extra tackle (Thayer Munford Jr.), but there’s only so much they can do. If Campbell and right tackle Morgan Moses can keep Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter at bay, it’ll go a long way toward a Patriots’ win. — Christopher Price
The entire offensive line. The Patriots have completely revamped their O-line this season, with four new starters and three new coaches. The unit has greatly improved and is no longer the major liability it once was. Sunday will be its biggest test, with a pair of elite pass rushers on the other side. If Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. can consistently generate pressure, then the Patriots could be in for a long day. — Nicole Yang
Texans
Nico Collins. Whoops. My bad. Collins is not playing because he’s in the concussion protocol. So once again, the best player on the team the Patriots are playing will not be able to play. Kind of like the Broncos’ starting QB being unavailable if the Patriots advance to the AFC Championship. — Dan Shaughnessy
Kamari Lassiter, Jalen Pitre, and Calen Bullock. Everyone knows about the Texans’ All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley, but the Texans’ secondary is loaded with talent and versatility. Lassiter, Pitre, and Bullock combined for 12 interceptions and 39 passes defended and will be a handful for the Patriots’ tight ends and slot receivers. — Ben Volin
Dalton Schultz. The Patriots have struggled all season long against talented tight ends, and with Nico Collins out of the lineup, the Texans will lean heavily on Schultz this afternoon. Schultz, who led Houston in receptions this season with 82 (for 777 yards and three touchdowns), isn’t an overwhelming presence, but his reliability and dependability means C.J. Stroud will look to him to help move the chains against New England. — Christopher Price
CJ Stroud. If Stroud turns the ball over three times like he did in the wild-card game, then it’s hard to imagine the Texans escaping with another victory. Given the strength of Houston’s defense, it sure seems as though the game will come down to whether Stroud can score enough points. Without his top receiver, Nico Collins, Stroud will be forced to create with Christian Kirk, a pair of rookies, and tight end Dalton Schultz. — Nicole Yang
Meet Sunday’s officiating crew — 1:35 p.m.
Shawn Smith will serve as the referee for Sunday’s divisional round contest between the Patriots and Texans. On average, his crew called the seventh-fewest number of penalties per game over the course of the regular season (12.13). Smith’s crew called 34 false starts during the regular season. This will mark his second New England game of the year; he served as the lead official for the Dec. 1 game in Foxborough between the Patriots and Giants, a contest where New England was flagged only three times on the night. — Christopher Price
Who’s inactive for the Patriots? — 1:30 p.m.
No surprises on the inactives list: Kobee Minor, Bradyn Swinson, Marcus Bryant, Eric Gregory, Caedan Wallace, and C.J. Dippre. Tommy DeVito is the emergency third quarterback.
Christian Gonzalez was cleared from concussion protocol early in the week and is active. Khyiris Tonga is active after he returned to practice this week following multiple missed games with a foot injury, and Harold Landry is active as well.
The Patriots also activated corner Alex Austin from injured reserve.
Texans’ elite defense has inside information on Josh McDaniels — 1:15 p.m.
By Ben Volin
Thursday afternoon, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels downplayed the familiarity between members of the Texans coaching staff and himself.
“If you’re in the league long enough, you have friends across the sideline almost with every game you play,” McDaniels said as the Patriots prepared for Sunday’s playoff game against the Texans. “This will certainly be no different.”
Well, it will be a little different. Facing the Texans’ No. 1-rated defense is difficult enough, but McDaniels and the Patriots also have to contend with a Texans coaching staff that knows them like family.
First, there’s literal family — the Texans wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator is Josh’s younger brother, Ben McDaniels.
“I think this is our fourth time having an opportunity to do this. Just a little bit more at stake,” Josh McDaniels said of facing his brother.
Without Nico Collins, do the Texans have enough weapons? — 1:00 p.m.
By Christopher Price
The Texans’ offense absorbed a sizable blow when wide receiver Nico Collins was ruled out for Sunday’s divisional round matchup against the Patriots.
Collins finished the regular season as the Texans’ leading receiver with 71 catches for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns.
The 6-foot-4-inch, 222-pounder was injured in the third quarter of Monday night’s 30-6 wild-card win over the Steelers. After he was unable to haul in a pass from quarterback C.J. Stroud, the receiver fell face-first to the turf. He was carted to the locker room, then diagnosed with a concussion. He did not practice all week.
Christian Gonzalez set to play after clearing concussion protocol — 12:45 p.m.
By Christopher Price
The Patriots announced Friday afternoon that cornerback Christian Gonzalez cleared concussion protocol and no longer had an injury designation in advance of Sunday’s divisional round game against the Texans.
Gonzalez sustained a head injury in last week’s 16-3 wild-card win over the Chargers, and was in the concussion protocol early in the week. He donned a red noncontact jersey for Wednesday’s practice, but was in a standard blue defensive jersey for practice on Thursday and Friday.
The team listed him as limited on Wednesday, and as a full participant on Thursday and Friday.
Emma Healy can be reached at emma.healy@globe.com or on X @ByEmmaHealy. Amin Touri can be reached at amin.touri@globe.com. Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com. Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him on Bluesky at christopherprice.bsky.social. Nicole Yang can be reached at nicole.yang@globe.com. Follow her on X @nicolecyang. Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at daniel.shaughnessy@globe.com. Follow him @dan_shaughnessy. Alex Speier can be reached at alex.speier@globe.com. Follow him @alexspeier.
