Kayshon Boutte backed up his words when Patriots fans needed him most

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte had some fighting words for his team's Divisional Round opponent, the Houston Texans. He expressed no fear of a defense that has kept even the NFL's brightest offensive minds up at night.

More specifically, Boutte boldly poked at the Texans' secondary, which is arguably the best in the league. He said he was eager to face them, namely All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

Time after time, Stingley and Co. have made those who dare to challenge them look foolish throughout the 2025 campaign. No team allowed fewer yards per contest than the Texans this season, and only the Seattle Seahawks finished ahead of them in scoring.

However, the Foxborough faithful saw Boutte walk the talk as the Patriots punched their ticket to the AFC Championship Game.

Kayshon Boutte practiced what he preached in Patriots' Divisional Round win vs. Texans

Boutte snagged what turned out to be the game-sealing 32-yard highlight-reel touchdown grab in the fourth quarter of New England's 28-16 win over the Texans. It was a truly sensational one-handed catch, and he notably did so against Stingley.

The Texans managed to hang around for much of the evening despite a nightmarish four-interception performance from quarterback C.J. Stroud. That's because their stop unit lived up to the hype, forcing four fumbles (two recovered), plus recording an interception and five sacks. Nevertheless, Boutte's pay dirt trip was the virtual dagger.

Talk about calling your own shot. Boutte gave credit where due before the Patriots' showdown with the Texans. The 23-year-old referred to Stingley as a "good cornerback" and touted Houston's defensive backfield for their aggressiveness, though he was also confident in his abilities.

"I think they're just physical cornerbacks," Boutte stated. "But at the end of the day, I'm physical too. So, that's a matchup I like every day of the week."

Take a bow, Kayshon. The Texans, particularly Stingley, have been among the stingiest in football at limiting explosive passing plays. Targeting him on attempts of 20 yards or longer has proven futile for virtually everyone who has tried since 2024 -- except Boutte.

As Patriots fans recall, Boutte burned Stingley for a long score in their Week 6 meeting last year. Few, if any, have done it, but the former is proving to be the latter's kryptonite. Lightning struck a second time, and it happened at a pivotal moment of a playoff clash that was well in the balance until that instance.