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.
Stroud struggled mightily through two quarters to the tune of four interceptions as the Patriots took a 21-10 lead to the break. Fittingly, New England's stop unit accomplished something it hadn't done in nearly two decades.
Patriots' emphatic defensive performance vs. Texans illustrated by record-setting feat
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. He didn't take a sack but was constantly under duress, which sped up his internal clock. That's because the Patriots were wreaking havoc and causing disruption.
Through 30 minutes of action, Stroud completed 10 of 26 for 124 passing yards, one touchdown, four interceptions, yielding a lowly 27.2 passer rating. Moreover, New England allowed fewer rushing yards (eight) than carries (12).
Notably, the Patriots lost to the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game when Samuel Sr. intercepted Hall of Fame gunslinger Peyton Manning. New England and the Foxborough faithful will be hoping for better fortune this time around.