New England Patriots
Maye had three touchdowns, together with a highlight-reel throw to Kayshon Boutte. He additionally had 4 fumbles and three turnovers.
FOXBOROUGH – The Patriots knew all alongside that the Texans’ defense presented one of the toughest tests of the year. In the end, they handed with a 28-16 victory at Gillette Stadium.
Drake Maye made the throw of the day, hitting Kayshon Boutte for a one-handed TD grab within the fourth quarter that put the Patriots up by double digits. The exact throw was one in every of three touchdowns for Maye on Sunday.
However he additionally had three turnovers. He misplaced a pair of fumbles after being strip-sacked a number of occasions, together with an interception. Throw in a fumble and an interception in opposition to one landing within the wild-card spherical in opposition to the Chargers, and Maye has extra turnovers than touchdowns this postseason.
He completed with 179 yards on 16-for-27 passing through the win on Sunday.
“We discuss not going within the blender. And I believe it’s laborious,” head coach Mike Vrabel stated after the sport. “They put strain on us, and we all know we’ve acquired to handle the ball. Drake is aware of that. However to have the ability to keep the course and to belief Kayshon and provides him an amazing ball that was him or no one, and people guys have sort of performed that every one yr — after we wanted a play, they’ve been ready to try this for us.”
Houston’s All-Professional edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter sacked Maye 5 occasions.
“We knew they had been going to be good, and so they lived as much as the hype and all of the statistics, and all of the ball looking that we noticed on movie,” Maye stated. “They ball hunt. The perimeters are robust, acquired to do a greater stepping up and, hit guys downfield after we had probabilities.”
The Patriots had been aggressive on fourth down early within the recreation, and Maye rewarded them by hitting DeMario Douglas for the sport’s opening landing. Stefon Diggs made a tricky landing seize, and Boutte had the highlight-reel one-hander that put the sport out of attain.
Maye, a North Carolina native taking part in his second profession playoff recreation at Gillette Stadium, did sufficient at snowy Gillette Stadium for the Patriots to win.
“We made sufficient performs, scored 21 and the protection helped us out with seven. And we did what we needed to do within the recreation,” Maye stated. “The weather had been slightly robust. I’ve to be higher with the soccer after I’m taking off and operating. From there, simply know that the soccer is the prized possession. And after we don’t flip the ball over and put the staff in the most effective spots, I like our probabilities.
The seven defensive factors that Maye talked about got here on a pick-six from Marcus Jones. Ok’Lavon Chaisson hit C.J. Stroud who launched a throw whereas falling backwards. Jones scooped it and raced for the top zone. It was one in every of many takeaways that gave Maye and the Patriots’ offense a lift.
“I believe, once more, there are occasions the place it doesn’t look nice,” Vrabel stated. “And we all know going in opposition to an amazing protection, which I imply that’s what they’re, it’s laborious. There’s some robust sledding. There’s some performs that don’t look nice. It’s a quick, gifted protection. And we talked about that coming in.”
“However in the long run, I felt like we simply sort of caught round,” he added. “And we all the time discuss it solely takes one play. And early on, which may have been Pop and Marcus. Ok.C. prompted that landing that Marcus took again, or Kayshon within the second half and Drake giving him the ball. So it simply takes one play. And I believe that sparks us.”
The protection held up lengthy sufficient to maintain the Patriots within the recreation, and the offense made well timed performs that put them excessive.
There’s one other soccer recreation left on the schedule. It’s the Patriots vs. the top-seeded Denver Broncos for the AFC title subsequent weekend in Colorado.
“I’m all the time excited for our group, excited for the gamers,” Vrabel stated. “I’m appreciative of their work and their efforts. All people’s stepping up. We’re utilizing everyone. All people’s making performs. All people’s serving to us win. I’m excited for these guys, but additionally, they’re not happy, and I can inform that.”
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