The Texans vs New England Patriots match player stats reveal a playoff game that was much closer on the stat sheet than the final score suggests. New England defeated Houston 28-16 in the AFC Divisional Round on January 18, 2026, at Gillette Stadium, but there were only seven yards between the teams in total offence.
Houston finished with 241 total yards, while New England produced 248. The real difference came from turnovers. The Texans gave the ball away five times, including four C.J. Stroud interceptions, while the Patriots turned three takeaways into crucial momentum.
Drake Maye did not dominate through raw yardage, but his three touchdown passes proved decisive. Add a Marcus Jones interception return for a touchdown, and New England had enough big plays to move into the AFC Championship Game.
Texans vs Patriots Game Overview
The final score of 28-16 does not fully show how competitive the game was.
Houston actually recorded more first downs, finishing with 16 compared with New England’s 13. The Texans also converted seven of their 17 third-down attempts, while the Patriots went just 3-for-14.
Yet New England made the plays that mattered most.
| Team Stat | Houston Texans | New England Patriots |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 16 | 28 |
| Total yards | 241 | 248 |
| Passing yards, net | 193 | 143 |
| Rushing yards | 48 | 105 |
| First downs | 16 | 13 |
| Turnovers | 5 | 3 |
| Interceptions thrown | 4 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 27:51 | 32:09 |
The biggest difference was Houston’s inability to protect the football. Four interceptions and one lost fumble gave New England repeated opportunities to control the game.
The Patriots were not perfect either. Drake Maye fumbled four times and New England lost two of them. Houston’s defence also recorded five sacks, keeping pressure on Maye for much of the afternoon.
Still, New England survived those mistakes and made Houston pay more heavily for its own.
C.J. Stroud vs Drake Maye Passing Stats
The quarterback numbers provide one of the clearest explanations for the result.
C.J. Stroud threw for more yards than Drake Maye, but efficiency and turnovers separated the two quarterbacks.
| Quarterback | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.J. Stroud | 20/47 | 212 | 1 | 4 | 28.0 |
| Drake Maye | 16/27 | 179 | 3 | 1 | 100.7 |
Stroud completed only 20 of his 47 attempts. His lone touchdown came on a 10-yard pass to Christian Kirk in the second quarter, briefly putting Houston ahead 10-7.
That lead did not last long.
Marcus Jones intercepted Stroud and returned the ball 26 yards for a touchdown, putting New England back in front. It was one of four interceptions thrown by the Texans quarterback.
Maye, meanwhile, completed 16 of 27 passes for 179 yards. His yardage total was modest, but he produced three touchdown passes without needing a huge volume of throws.
DeMario Douglas caught a 28-yard touchdown in the opening quarter. Stefon Diggs added a seven-yard touchdown before half-time, and Kayshon Boutte delivered the finishing blow with a 32-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
Those Drake Maye stats show why efficiency mattered more than total passing yards.
Rushing and Receiving Player Stats
The rushing numbers were another major part of the Texans vs New England Patriots match player stats.
Houston struggled badly on the ground, managing only 48 rushing yards from 22 attempts. New England nearly doubled that production with 105 yards on 32 carries.
Houston Texans rushing
| Player | Carries | Yards | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woody Marks | 14 | 17 | 1.2 |
| Nick Chubb | 4 | 14 | 3.5 |
| C.J. Stroud | 2 | 11 | 5.5 |
| Cade Stover | 2 | 6 | 3.0 |
Woody Marks received most of Houston’s carries but found very little space. His 14 attempts produced only 17 yards, with a longest run of eight yards.
New England Patriots rushing
| Player | Carries | Yards | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhamondre Stevenson | 16 | 70 | 4.4 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | 12 | 25 | 2.1 |
| Drake Maye | 4 | 10 | 2.5 |
Rhamondre Stevenson gave the Patriots the steady rushing presence Houston lacked. He ran 16 times for 70 yards, including a 20-yard gain.
The receiving numbers also tell an interesting story.
Jayden Higgins led Houston with six catches for 59 yards. Dalton Schultz added 47 yards on only two receptions, while Xavier Hutchinson caught four passes for 44 yards. Christian Kirk finished with two receptions for 20 yards and Houston’s only touchdown.
For New England, Kayshon Boutte was the leading receiver with three catches for 75 yards and one touchdown.
Stefon Diggs caught four passes for 40 yards and a score, while DeMario Douglas turned two receptions into 36 yards and another touchdown.
Boutte’s 32-yard fourth-quarter touchdown was especially important. Houston had cut the lead to 21-16, but Maye’s strike to Boutte pushed the Patriots back ahead by 12 points and effectively closed the door.
Patriots Defence Changed the Game
No part of the Texans vs New England Patriots match player stats mattered more than New England’s four interceptions.
Carlton Davis III led the way with two picks. Marcus Jones recorded another interception and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown, while safety Craig Woodson added the fourth.
New England’s defence forced five total turnovers, matching the second-highest total in a postseason game in Patriots history according to the team’s game notes.
Houston’s defence still produced several impressive individual performances.
Will Anderson Jr. recorded three sacks, while Danielle Hunter added two. Together they accounted for all five sacks of Maye.
Ja’Marcus Ingram also intercepted Maye once.
The Texans therefore created their own chances, but they could not turn enough of those opportunities into points.
That was especially clear in the red zone. Houston went just 1-for-4 inside the Patriots’ 20-yard line. New England only reached the red zone once but scored a touchdown on that visit.
Ka’imi Fairbairn kept Houston alive by making all three of his field-goal attempts, including a 51-yarder in the third quarter. However, field goals were not enough against a Patriots team producing touchdowns through both its offence and defence.
What the Player Stats Really Show
Looking only at total yardage would make this game appear almost even.
Houston had 241 yards. New England had 248. The Texans had more first downs and more net passing yards.
But playoff games are often decided by a few high-impact moments rather than total offensive production.
Houston’s five turnovers repeatedly stopped promising possessions. One interception immediately became seven New England points when Marcus Jones returned it for a touchdown.
The Patriots also controlled the running game more effectively. Their 105 rushing yards helped them possess the ball for 32:09, compared with Houston’s 27:51.
Most importantly, Maye produced touchdowns when New England needed them. His three scoring passes went to three different receivers, making it harder for Houston to focus on one target.
That balance, combined with four defensive interceptions, explains why the Patriots won by 12 points despite gaining only seven more total yards.
Conclusion
The Texans vs New England Patriots match player stats show exactly why New England advanced with a 28-16 victory. The two teams were separated by only seven total yards, but the Patriots made far fewer costly mistakes and produced more game-changing plays.
C.J. Stroud threw for 212 yards, but his four interceptions proved damaging. Drake Maye answered with three touchdown passes, while Rhamondre Stevenson added 70 rushing yards and Kayshon Boutte led the receiving attack with 75 yards.
The defining performance, however, came from the Patriots defence. Four interceptions, five forced turnovers and Marcus Jones’ pick-six turned a statistically close contest into a convincing playoff win.
For Houston, the numbers offer a frustrating lesson: gaining yards can keep a game close, but protecting the football often decides who moves on in January.
(FAQs)
Who won the Texans vs New England Patriots playoff game?
The New England Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16 in the AFC Divisional Round on January 18, 2026, at Gillette Stadium.
What were C.J. Stroud’s stats against the Patriots?
C.J. Stroud completed 20 of 47 passes for 212 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 28.0.
What were Drake Maye’s stats against the Texans?
Drake Maye completed 16 of 27 passes for 179 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He recorded a passer rating of 100.7.
Who had the most receiving yards?
Kayshon Boutte led all players with 75 receiving yards. He caught three passes and scored on a 32-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
How many turnovers did Houston have?
The Texans committed five turnovers. C.J. Stroud threw four interceptions, while Houston also lost one fumble.
Who intercepted C.J. Stroud?
Carlton Davis III recorded two interceptions. Marcus Jones had one interception, which he returned for a 26-yard touchdown, while Craig Woodson recorded the fourth pick.
