New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye throws a pass during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers. David Butler II-Imagn Images

Texans Defense Has Chance to Expose Drake Maye

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jan 17, 2026 12:24 PM ET

The Houston Texans are facing off against Drake Maye and the New England Patriots for a chance to get to the AFC Championship game.

Maye has been incredible for the Patriots all season long, and the Texans defense will definitely have their hands full against him. NFL.com writer Eric Edholm believes Maye will have a challenge as well facing off against a stout Texans defense that makes opponents earn every yard.

"The Texans are sure to take note of Maye's struggles when the Chargers went man coverage, completing only 1 of 7 passes for 7 yards while taking three sacks, per Next Gen Stats. Houston played man slightly less than the league average in the regular season at 25.2% of the time. But when the Texans went man against the Steelers on Monday, Aaron Rodgers was only 1 for 6 passing for 4 yards and a sack," Edholm wrote.

"The Patriots' offensive line, with two rookies starting, will have its hands full with an elite rush unit led by Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter and Sheldon Rankins. Maye has an escape hatch with his running ability, and the Texans have occasionally struggled with running quarterbacks, even while keeping Josh Allen and others in check."

David Butler II-Imagn Images

Texans Defense Performance vs. Maye Will Prove How Dominant They Are

This is the ultimate test for the Texans. They may not face a quarterback as good as Maye this year, so how they perform against the Patriots will show how good they truly are.

The Texans' defense flexed their muscles in their wild card win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But they were the team with the worst record going into the playoffs. That was child's play compared to the Patriots, who have the best record of any team in the NFL this season.

The Patriots finished 14-3 on the year, and that came after a 1-2 start. They won 13 of their last 14 games before beating the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild card round. They only gave up three points, so the Texans' defense will have another strong unit on the other side of the field.

This game should be a battle between which defense reigns supreme. With the chance of snowy weather in the forecast, that will only help the defenses achieve their goals.

However, that also makes the margin of error that much slimmer. Whichever team can make the most plays on either side of the ball will likely win the game and advance one step closer to winning the Super Bowl.

This article first appeared on Houston Texans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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