The Houston Texans cannot overlook the New England Patriots, but they can plan accordingly. The results of Saturday’s AFC Divisional Playoff games cleared up a lot and provided clarity on the Texans’ path forward.
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### Texans’ Road Ahead
In the AFC, the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos battled for a spot in the Championship game. The Texans will have to go on the road again, continuing the trend seen so far this postseason. First, they played the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round away from home, and now they face the Patriots on the road.
The Texans have demonstrated resilience away from the comforts of NRG Stadium during the 2025 regular season as well, making them no strangers to performing on the road.
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### Texans Would Face Broncos in AFC Championship Game
While the dates, times, and networks for Conference Championship weekend were already announced, Saturday’s results confirmed exactly who the Texans could face next. Notably, the Texans faced both the Bills and the Broncos during the regular season but split those games—losing to the Broncos in Week 9 and defeating the Bills in Week 12. Both games were played at home in Houston.
Saturday’s outcome sets the stage for the Texans to seek redemption on Championship Sunday.
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### Broncos’ Strength and Texans’ Challenges
The Broncos bring a formidable defense to the table, ranking second overall and third in scoring defense during the regular season. They also led the NFL in sacks by a wide margin. Their offense ranked 10th in total yards and 14th in scoring.
It’s worth noting that Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was injured during the Week 9 meeting against Denver, missing the next three contests. During that stretch, Davis Mills took the helm, and the Texans won all three games, sparking a winning streak they will aim to extend Sunday against the Patriots.
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### Texans’ Defensive Prowess and Offensive Performance
The Texans are undeniably led by their defense. They ranked first overall and second in scoring defense during the 2025 regular season, featuring standout players Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.
On offense, the Texans ranked 18th overall but were 13th in scoring, impressively managing this even with Stroud missing time.
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### Championship Sunday Schedule Announced
The Texans can now finalize travel plans and accommodations for a possible AFC Championship berth, but first, they must get past the Patriots.
According to the NFL, the AFC Championship Game is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. CT), while the NFC Championship Game will be at 6:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. CT), both taking place on Sunday, January 25, regardless of whether the Texans make it.
The AFC game will air on CBS and Paramount+, and the NFC contest will be broadcast on FOX and FOX ONE.
During the regular season, the Texans played on CBS nine times, finishing with a 6-3 record in those games.
This week’s Divisional playoff game against the Patriots is the Texans’ only game this season to be played in a 3 p.m. time slot.
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### Challenges Ahead: Rest and Home Field Advantage
There’s no rest advantage for the Texans, as they will be the less rested team. The Broncos, who await the winner, will have an additional day to rest and recover.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans’ Texans are road underdogs heading into the game, which is expected given that they are the lower seed in the playoff bracket.
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### Texans Are Road Warriors
However, the Texans have been more than capable on the road this year. Their five road wins tied for the fourth-most in the NFL according to Stathead.
Additionally, the Texans had the eighth-best point differential in the league when playing away, ranking fifth in the AFC.
On the other side, the Patriots struggled at home in Foxboro, suffering all three of their losses there this season.
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### Final Thoughts
Despite all the stats and numbers, none of that will matter once the game begins and the players take the field. For the Texans to punch their ticket to the AFC Championship game against the Broncos, they must first win between the white lines against the New England Patriots.
The stage is set. The challenge is clear. Now, the Texans must rise to the occasion.
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