Kayshon Boutte scored a spectacular one-handed touchdown in the fourth quarter as the New England Patriots finally broke the Houston Texans’ resistance to advance to the NFL Final Four with a 28-16 win on Sunday.
Quarterback CJ Stroud threw four interceptions in an error-filled game that Texas survived thanks to its top-ranked defense, which limited New England to just seven points on five total turnovers.
The Patriots will now face the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game next Sunday. Here, Sean Payton’s team will be led by Jarrett Stidham at quarterback after Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle during a divisional round victory over the Buffalo Bills.
Drake Maye, the Patriots’ second-year quarterback and MVP contender, was harassed by Houston’s pass rush all night, going 16 of 27 for 179 yards, three touchdowns, one interception and four fumbles.
Will Anderson starred for DeMeco Ryans’ team with three sacks, two tackles for loss and one quarterback hit, but it was New England’s defense that sparked Stroud’s catalog of errors and left a decisive mark that ended Houston’s 10-game winning streak.
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Thanks to a stunning catch by Kayshon Boutte, the Patriots extended their lead over the Texans and moved one step closer to the AFC Championship Game.
Stats Leader:
texas
- passing: CJ Stroud, 20/47, 212 yards, 1 TD, 4 INT.
- rush: Woody Marks, 14 carries, 17 yards.
- transmission: Jayden Higgins, 6 catches, 59 yards.
patriot
- passing: Drake Maye, 16/27, 179 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT.
- rush: Rhammondre Stevenson, 16 carries, 70 yards.
- transmission: Kayshon Boutte, 3 catches, 75 yards, 1 TD.
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CJ Stroud threw a 10-yard touchdown to Christian Kirk, who bounced both feet.
It’s going to take something big to break down the spirit and ferocity of Houston’s defense. It would take a huge deal to beat Derek Stingley Jr in coverage. New England visited Boutte.
With 12.58 left to play, the Patriots’ wide receiver gained less than a yard on an outside release vertical route, tracking a deep shot over Maye’s shoulder before extending his right hand and making a spectacular 32-yard touchdown catch with one hand while hitting the turf on the side of the end zone. It proved to be a huge blow.
Turnovers and defense dominated a frenzied first half. Stroud coughed up four interceptions and Maye lost one of three fumbles as the Patriots took a 21-10 lead at the break.
Maye gave up his fourth fumble of the game in the third quarter when he was stripped to Anderson on third-and-6 after Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 25-yard field goal cut New England’s lead.
More chaotic chaos ensued when Texans running back Woody Marks lost both his shoe and the ball and was punched by Christian Gonzalez. But it wasn’t the first time that Houston’s defense came to the rescue, forcing a punt as the Patriots again failed to convert turnovers into points.
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C.J. Stroud blitzed on first down and his looping throw was blocked by Marcus Jones, who ran for a surprising Patriots touchdown.
Marcus Jones hit a 26-yard pick-six to give New England a 14-10 advantage in the second quarter after Stroud’s blind pass looped skyward during a bruising hit by K’Lavon Chaisson. Stroud was intercepted on the very next possession when his pass bounced off the palm of Xavier Hutchinson and into the palm of Craig Woodson.
Stefon Diggs and his suction hand clinched for a 7-yard touchdown with three minutes left in the first half, and Stroud’s ensuing possession ended with a second-down pick by Carlton Davis.
Davis’ first came in the opening quarter when Stroud missed a throw to Christian Kirk down the sideline, smartly dragging his knee as he fell out of bounds, forcing the Patriots’ defense to make a sliding catch.
The Patriots were unable to capitalize when Tommy Togiai ripped the ball out of the hands of a scrambling Maye, and recovered to take a 10-7 lead with Kirk’s 10-yard touchdown catch.
DeMario Douglas opened the scoring for New England in the second with a 28-yard catch and run on fourth-and-1.
Fairbairn was 3 of 3 field goals for Houston, which lost tight end Dalton Schultz to injury after playing without Nico Collins due to a concussion.
Douglas: I like Vrabel.
The win continues an impressive first season for Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, who is back in contention with three Super Bowl wins as a player.
“He’s a player’s coach,” wide receiver Douglas told Sky Sports NFL. “I’ve heard a lot from people who have worked with him outside of this team, and they say, ‘You’re going to love him,’ and I do too. He knows what it takes to be in this position.
“I feel blessed. The last two years haven’t been great, but I’m blessed to be in this position.
“It’s amazing. I’ve never heard this stadium this loud. It helped us get this win.
“We’re going to keep building. The Road Warriors have to come back.”
Douglas also praised quarterback Maye, who is now just one game away from reaching the Super Bowl after asserting himself as the long-term answer under center in Foxboro’s post-Tom Brady era.
“That is my son.” Douglas said. “Ever since he arrived he has always had the energy and good spirit the team needs. He is growing and you can see the leadership and confidence he has gained this year and I like what he is putting out.”
Watch every moment of the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl LX live from Levi’s Stadium on Sky Sports NFL.
