TEAM NOTES
• Patriots tie San Francisco for the most postseason wins all-time.
• Patriots advance to 16th AFC Championship Game
• Patriots win 9th straight Divisional Playoff Game.
• Patriots improve to a 3-0 postseason record against Houston.
• Patriots forced five turnovers and tied the team's postseason record with four interceptions.
• CB Marcus Jones returns an interception for a touchdown.
• CB Carlton Davis III registers two interceptions.
• QB Drake Maye throws three touchdown passes.
PATRIOTS TIE FOR THE MOST POSTSEASON WINS IN NFL HISTORY
The Patriots earned their 39th postseason win overall, tied with San Francisco for the most postseason wins in NFL history.
PATRIOTS PLAY IN 61st POSTSEASON GAME
The Patriots played in their 61st postseason game, the fifth-most in NFL history behind Dallas (67), Pittsburgh (66), Green Bay (65), and San Francisco (64). In the Patriots first 34 seasons (1960-93), the Patriots played in 10 postseason games and had a 4-6 overall record. In the 32 years of Robert Kraft's ownership, the Patriots have played in 51 playoff games and have a 35-16 record in those games.
PATRIOTS EXTEND BEST WINNING PERCENTAGE IN HOME GAMES
In the franchise's first 34 years, the Patriots hosted one playoff game and lost. Since 1994, the Patriots have won 25 of the 29 postseason games they have hosted. Their 25-5 all-time record in home playoff games gives them an .833 winning percentage at home in the postseason, which ranks first among teams with at least 15 home playoff games. The Patriots are one of six teams with at least 20 playoff wins at home, joining San Francisco (26), Pittsburgh (21), Dallas (21), Green Bay (20), and Philadelphia (20). Only San Francisco has more home wins.
PATRIOTS IMPROVE IN THE DIVISIONAL ROUND
Since 1970, the Patriots 16 Divisional Round wins are tied with Pittsburgh for the second-most wins, behind the 19 wins in the Divisional round by San Francisco. The Patriots have won nine consecutive Divisional playoff games, the longest such streak in NFL history. Kansas City and San Francisco are second with seven straight Divisional round wins.
PATRIOTS ADVANCE TO 16TH AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
The Patriots now advance to their 16th AFC Championship Game and first since appearing in eight straight AFC Championship Games from 2011 through 2018.
EIGHT PATRIOTS PLAYERS HAVE PLAYED IN A CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
There are seven Patriots on the active roster who have played in Conference Championship Games:
- CB Carlton Davis III played in the 2020 NFC Championship game at Green Bay with the Buccaneers.
- WR Stefon Diggs played in the 2017 NFC Championship game at Philadelphia with the Vikings, and in the 2020 AFC Championship game at Kansas City with the Bills.
- LB Christian Elliss played in the 2022 NFC Championship game vs. San Francisco with the Eagles.
- TE Austin Hooper played in the 2016 NFC Championship game vs. Green Bay with the Falcons.
- LB Harold Landry III played in the 2019 AFC Championship game at Kansas City with the Titans.
- T Morgan Moses played in the 2023 AFC Championship game vs. Kansas City with the Ravens.
- DT Milton Williams played in the 2022 NFC Championship game vs. San Francisco and in the 2024 NFC Championship game vs. Washington with the Eagles.
- WR Mack Hollins (IR) also played in the 2017 NFC Championship game vs. Minnesota with the Eagles, and the 2024 AFC Championship game with the Bills vs. Kansas City
PATRIOTS IMPROVE TO A 3-0 RECORD AGAINST HOUSTON IN THE POSTSEASON
The Patriots improved to a 3-0 record against Houston in the postseason.
PATRIOTS DEFENSE TIES TEAM POSTSEASON RECORD WITH FOUR INTERCEPTIONS
The Patriots defense recorded four interceptions, with two picks by CB Carlton Davis III, and one by CB Marcus Jones and S Craig Woodson. The Patriots four interceptions tie the team's postseason mark. The Patriots also had four interceptions vs. Indianapolis on Jan. 11, 2014, vs. Indianapolis on Jan. 18, 2004, and at Buffalo on Dec. 28, 1964. The last time the Patriots had four interceptions in a regular-season game was on Nov. 18, 2021, at Atlanta.
PATRIOTS DEFENSE FORCED FIVE TURNOVERS
The Patriots defense forced five total turnovers with four interceptions and one fumble recovery. It is tied for the second-most turnovers in a postseason game with the five the team had vs. Indianapolis on Jan 18, 2004 (4 interceptions and 1 fumble). The Patriots forced six turnovers in a postseason game three times, with the last coming at Miami on Jan. 12, 1986, in the AFC Championship Game. The last time the Patriots forced at least five turnovers in a regular-season game was Dec. 15, 2019, at Cincinnati with four interceptions and one fumble recovery.
PATRIOTS SCORE 21 OFFENSIVE POINTS AGAINST HOUSTON'S TOP-RANKED DEFENSE
The Patriots scored 21 offensive points against Houston's top-ranked defense. Houston allowed just 17.4 points per game during the regular season.
PATRIOTS DEFENSE HOLDS HOUSTON TO 48 YARDS RUSHING
The Patriots defense held Houston to just 48 yards rushing for a 2.2-yard average. It is the seventh time that the New England defense has held its opponent under 50 yards rushing in a postseason game, and first since holding the Chargers to just 19 yards rushing on Jan. 13, 2019. It is the third-lowest average by New England in the postseason. Lowest Rushing Average in a Postseason Game 0.6 at Buffalo on Dec. 28, 1963 1.9 vs L.A. Chargers on Jan. 13, 2019 2.2 vs. Houston on Jan. 18, 2026
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
VRABEL HEADS TO SECOND CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP AS A HEAD COACH
Mike Vrabel is heading to his second Conference Championship Game as a head coach. In 2019, he led the Tennessee Titans to the AFC Championship Game, a 35-24 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs.
VRABEL GOES OVER .500 IN POSTSEASON AS A HEAD COACH
Vrabel improved to 4-3 in the postseason as a head coach, with a 2-1 record in the Wild Card Round, a 2-1 record in the Divisional Round, and a 0-1 record in the Conference Championship Game.
MARCUS JONES RETURNS A PICK 26 YARDS FOR A SCORE
CB Marcus Jones returned a second-quarter interception 26 yards for a touchdown. It is the seventh interception returned for a touchdown in New England postseason history and the first since CB Asanta Samuel returned a pick 39 yards for a touchdown at Indianapolis in the 2026 AFC Championship Game on Jan. 21, 2007. Jones has returned 2 interceptions for a touchdown in the regular season, including a 33-yard return at Cincinnati this season on Nov. 23, 2025.
JONES MAKES HISTORY
Jones is the second player in NFL history to have two interceptions returned for touchdowns and two punt returns for touchdowns in a season, including the playoffs. Jones returned two punts for a touchdown in the regular season. He joins CB Phillip Buchanon (2003 with Oakland).
DAVIS HAS FIRST TWO INTERCEPTIONS AS A PATRIOT
CB Carlton Davis III intercepted QB C.J. Stroud two times with picks in the first and second quarters. It is his first postseason interceptions and first picks of the 2025 season. It is the second game of his career with at least two interceptions. He had two picks at Houston on Nov. 10, 2024, when he played for Detroit. The last time the Patriots had a player with two interceptions in a postseason game was CB Alfonzo Dennard vs. Indianapolis on Jan. 11, 2014. It is the eighth time a Patriots player has had at least two interceptions in a postseason game.
MAYE THROWS THREE TD PASSES
QB Drake Maye had three touchdown passes with a 28-yard touchdown pass to WR DeMario Douglas, a 7-yard touchdown pass to WR Stefon Diggs, and a 32-yard touchdown pass to WR Kayshon Boutte. He has thrown three or more touchdown passes in a game five times in his career, including three times in 2025 with 5 touchdowns at the NY Jets (12/28), and 3 vs. Cleveland (10/26) and at New Orleans (10/12). The first time he threw three touchdowns in a game was in his first career start when he completed three touchdown passes vs. Houston on Oct. 13, 2024. It is the 13th time in team history that a Patriots quarterback has thrown at least three touchdown passes in a postseason game, and the most since Tom Brady had three in Super Bowl LII vs. Philadelphia.
CHAISSON HAS THIRD SACK OF THE POSTSEASON
LB K'Lavon Chaisson had 2 sacks in the Wild Card win vs. the LA Chargers and then added an 8-yard sack in the third quarter.
TONGA RETURNS TO ACTION AND RECORDS FIRST SACK OF THE SEASON
DT Khyiris Tonga returned to action after missing the final two games of the regular season and the postseason game against the Chargers and recorded his first sack of the season on an 8-yard sack of QB C.J. Stroud in the fourth quarter.
SCHOOLER REGISTERS 3 SPECIAL TEAMS TACKLES.
S Brenden Schooler had 3 special teams tackles against Houston. He has four games in his career with 3 special teams tackles.
LINEUP NOTES
• DT Khyiris Tonga returned to action after missing the final two games of the regular season and the Wild Card Playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
• CB Alex Austin returned to action after being placed on injured reserve after the game at Cincinnati on Nov. 30.
