"New England Patriots star quarterback Drake Maye didn't meet the MVP-caliber standard he's set this season in the first half of the Divisional Round. Fortunately for him, his defense rose to the occasion with a special performance against the Houston Texans. Despite scoring 10 points, it felt like the Texans' offense had no answers for what the Patriots were doing. More specifically, New England had Houston signal-caller C.J. Stroud in an absolute blender from the outset of their win-or-go-home showdown."
"Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones took one of Stroud's quartet of turnovers and returned it for a 26-yard touchdown. It marked the first pick-six the Patriots recorded in a playoff game since retired Pro Bowler Asanta Samuel Sr. did it in 2007. For context, Samuel's son, Asante Samuel Jr., is now a five-year veteran in the NFL. That alone should properly put into perspective how long it's been before Jones' house call."
"It felt as though Stroud was begging to get picked off, and he did -- fourfold! Between a handful of errant throws and jamming the ball into coverage, he was making one mistake after another. Nevertheless, that's a testament to the Patriots' efforts, as exemplified by a milestone fans hadn't experienced since the club's historic near-perfect campaign. The windows were tight because New England's secondary was blanketing Stroud's receivers."
Drake Maye failed to match his MVP-caliber standard in the first half of the Divisional Round, but New England's defense delivered a decisive performance against the Houston Texans. The Texans managed 10 points while struggling to counter the Patriots' defensive schemes. C.J. Stroud threw four interceptions and faced constant pressure as the Patriots blanketed his receivers, which sped up his internal clock and forced errant throws. Marcus Jones returned one interception 26 yards for a touchdown, marking the franchise's first playoff pick-six since Asanta Samuel Sr. in 2007. Through 30 minutes, Stroud was 10-of-26 for 124 yards, one touchdown, four interceptions, and a 27.2 passer rating.
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