Patriots links 1/19/26: Pats Defense out-swarms Texans, 28-16

TEAM TALK

• Post Game Notes, Patriots vs. Texans: Patriots forced five turnovers and tied the team's postseason record with four interceptions; QB Drake Maye throws three touchdown passes; More.
• Evan Lazar's Game Observations: 8 Takeaways from the Patriots victory over the Texans to reach the AFC Championship game. As far as improbable runs go, head coach Mike Vrabel has been a part of two of them in New England." More.
• Gamebook: Full Patriots-Texans stats.
• Mike Dussault's Rapid Recap: Patriots defeat Texans 28-16, will face Denver in AFC Championship.
• Post Game Quotes:Patriots and Texans.
• Post Game Pressers:Mike Vrabel - Drake Maye - Stefon Diggs, Marcus Jones, Rhamondre Stevenson, Milton Williams, Christian Gonzalez, K'Lavon Chiasson, Robert Spillane, Hunter Henry, Charles Woodson, Jaylinn Hawkins.
• Highlights:Patriots vs. Texans, AFC Divisional round game. (5 min. video)
• Patriots Postgame Show: Full breakdown of Divisional round win over the Texans. (85 min.)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reissrecaps the Patriots' win and how the swarming defensive performance, (tying the franchise postseason record with 4 INTs) helped the Pats advance to the AFC Championship Game.
• Mark Daniels gives us 10 takeaways as the Patriots beat the Texans 28-16. 1. Pats get aggressive.
• Alex Barth posts five takeaways as the Patriots survive and advance. 1. Defense swarms Stroud.
• Andrew Callahan writes, It took three quarters, but the MVP candidate who led the Patriots back to the playoffs arrived in time Sunday to send them to the AFC Championship Game.'
• Andrew Callahan explains how the Patriots are carrying a dynasty-era feel on return to AFC title game.
• Doug Kyed notes the Patriots defense made a statement after taking praise of the Texans personally.
• Greg Dudek mentions how playmaking from Marcus Jones is becoming staple of Patriots' run.
• Karen Guregian writes Drake Mayedidn't pick the best time to have one of his worst games this season. But even when he struggles, he's found a way to make enough plays to win the game.
• Karen Guregian explains how Mike Vrabel's sideline chat helped lead to Drake Maye's pivotal fourth quarter TD throw.
• Ethan Hurwitz spotlights how the offensive line struggled yesterday.
• Mark Daniels highlights Will Campbell after Sunday's win: I need to play better.'/Yep.
• Chris Mason relays Stefon Diggs on how he believes Patriots learned a valuable lesson about themselves.
• Doug Kyed's Best and worst: What we learned from Patriots' 28-16 playoff win over Texans.
• Lauren Campbell notes Vrabel praised the Gillette Stadium crowd for ratcheting it up' in fourth quarter.
• Karen Guregian hears from the longest tenured players, how an AFC title game almost doesn't feel real.'

NATIONAL NEWS

• Gilberto Manzano (SI) These Patriots are no juggernaut, and they're also no underdog
• Nick Shook (NFL.com) Divisional Round Sunday: What we learned from New England's 28-16 win.
• Mike Reiss and DJ Bien-Aime (ESPN) Patriots hold off Texans in turnover-filled divisional game.
• Zachary Pereles (CBS Sports) Patriots force five turnovers, Drake Maye tosses three TDs as New England punches ticket to AFC Championship.
• Kevin Patra (NFL.com) Milton Williams, Patriots defense make statement vs. Texans: That's what I live for, to shut people up.'
• Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) Patriots return to AFC title game for first time in 7 years, send Texans into offseason of questions about C.J. Stroud.
• Ralph Vacchiano (FOX Sports) 4 Takeaways from the Patriots' win over the Texans. 1. That championship defense? It belonged to the Patriots, not the Texans; More.
• Albert Breer (SI) NFL Takeaways: The Patriots don't want to be called Cinderella; This team belongs here; Plus, championship weekend is set, coaches are interviewing and more.
• Conor Orr (SI) Give defenses proper credit for the poor quarterbacking in these NFL playoffs.
• Matt Verderame (SI) Divisional round Good, Bad and Ugly. Good: New England's defense is one worth praising. Ugly: The offensive showings in the AFC playoffs. More!
• Steven Ruiz (The Ringer) The Winners and Losers of the Divisional Round: Josh Allen faltered on the postseason stage, the Patriot Way might be back, and more. /Good commentary.
• Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (USA Today) Winners and losers of NFL playoffs' divisional round. Patriotsincluded in both columns.
• Garrett Podell (CBS Sports) Divisional round winners and losers: Winners: Patriots' defense and LB coach Zak Kuhr. Loser: Josh Allen. More.
• Judy Battista (NFL.com) Biggest winners and losers from Texans-Pats, Rams-Bears. Loser: Ball security.

VIEW FROM HOUSTON

• Chris Bumbaca (USA Today) Texans need to stop beating themselves,' starting with C.J. Stroud.
• Cole Thompson (Texans Wire) Analysis: Brutal offensive performance ends Texans' season vs. Pats
• Patrick H (Battle Red Blog) Texans season ends with (five) turnovers, lose to Patriots in Divisional Round again 28-16.
• Cole Thompson (Texans Wire) Here's why HC DeMeco Ryans kept C.J. Stroud in game despite turnovers.
• Matt Young (Houston Chronicle) Why Texans opted to punt down two scores with just four minutes left in playoff loss to Patriots.
• Matt Young (Houston Chronicle) What it was like in Houston Texans' locker room after season ended in playoff loss to Patriots.
• VanderBlog (HoustonTexans) The run ends.