PostGame Thread 2025 OFFICIAL POSTGAME THREAD: Patriots 28, Texans 16

[mosi]

House money playoff wins are the best kind.

With that said I’m not excited we have to go to Denver for obvious reasons. I know it’s Stiddy in our way but the Pats lost in Denver once to Brock Osweiler and then the ghost of Fivehead in the AFCCG so I’m not assuming anything. Gonna enjoy this one in the meantime.

This, they dominated that game but Brock looked like Joe Montana.

 

[TommyD4207]

I've looked at Football Reference, PFF, multiple stats. Seahawks defense comes out as #1 pretty much everywhere. Texans #2. That's pretty consistent. You can take that to the bank.

Denver slots in 3-6 depending on what stat you want.

I question Denver more than some others due to the very weak schedule. Bills almost 500 yards and all about the 5 turnovers so never punted. Outside TO's Bills moved ball at will

The Broncos have dominated bad QB's and other than Prescott have not been great vs good offenses/QB's.

-Week before Bills: Bye,
-Before that Trey Lance
-before that Chris Oladokan
-then Trevor Lawrence 115.4 rating.
-Packers had only 1 punt. Jordan Love 2 bad passes deep over the middle for picks. Moved the ball a ton
-Geno Smith
-Mariota goes for almost 300 yards
-Mahomes, bad year for him still almost had 300 yards, ghost of Kelce 9 catches.
-Geno Smith
-Davis Mills (a brief appearance by Stroud)
-Prescott, Finally they played a QB and played well against him. Late October the defense played well vs good QB.
-Dart 3 TD's passing and 1 running 93.4 rating 283 yards
-Justin Fields-Enough said
-Hurtz: He's not good but went for 280 and 2 TD's 100.8 rating
-Jake Browning
-Herbert 300 yards beat Denver 23-20
-Daniel Jones 316 yards 107.0 rating
-Cam Ward debut

Two of the worst (SOS-wise) schedules in the NFL face off in the AFC Championship game.

National media and talking heads - please tell me more about being 'battle-tested' and why that matters, when it never does.

You're either good or you're not.

 

[Ross12]

I was looking at the other 3 games and thinking.. Man.. The only team the Pats haven't played in the SB are the 49ers..

The Ram - Twice.. The start and end of the dynasty
Seahawks - Can't forget the Malcom Butler Int..
Bears- The Bears dominant defense for the ages..

It would be freaky weird if it was the Rams again..

I want a 3-peat vs the Rams in the big dance, LOL

 

[Ring 6]

If you look at the entire season 3rd and long is not a new thing. This offense has aspects of dink and dunk along with pushing the ball down field, so to say we tried to become dink and dunk isn't really accurate. I do agree that McD was calling plays too conservative at times because he was afraid of the defense, the weather, and the OL.

How can you say it’s not accurate if you agree with it?

 

[imahobgoblin]

There was hardly a peep about our defense last week either. Dunno if im just biased here but the pats d and what theyve done to two legitimate playoff teams teams should be one of the top stories in the playoffs.

So what you are saying is that the Pats' top 5 defense in the league and the fact that Milt and Gonzo have never lost a game when on the field at the same time should be the bigger story?

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

What’s to figure out? He got hit while throwing and had the ball punched out on a rare designed run (or broken play, hard to tell).
He can’t pass block for himself.

So the punch out on the run was his fault or no?

 

[DaBruinz]

I do understand the difference you are trying to articulate. I simply do not agree with it.

You can throw in as many insults as you want, it will not change my mind.

So, you're a stubborn fool who can't admit to being wrong. Great. Off to the void with your dumb arse.

 

[Rob0729]

Nix > Maye and anyone who watched yesterday and today would agree. Unless you’re just plain biased and ignorant.

Did you watch Bo Nix vs the Texans earlier this year?

18/37 for 173 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT (4.7 YPA) 68.9 QB rating in a dome.

He didn't play well against the Texans in perfect conditions.

Yes, Maye had the fumbles, but he still had better results passing.
16/27 for 179 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT (a Hail Mary pass at the end of the half), 6.6 YPA and a 100.7 Passer Rating in a snow storm.

 

[DaBruinz]

For a religious person, you seem to carry a lot of hate in you. How do you square that? Fascinating!

There's that lack of reading comprehension again. You also have no idea what HATE looks like. I don't hate you. That requires too much energy and I wouldn't waste it on a fool like you.

 

[Rob0729]

I’d take Nix 100 times over maye.

Yes, that is the Broncos fan's take. I don't think you will find a single unbiased person who would take Nix over Maye. Not a single one.

 

[imahobgoblin]

My favorite podcast, Heed The Call, actually did start with (reluctant) praise of the Pats (reluctant since the host is a Jete fan), but then did quickly move into discussing Stroud.

They didn't mention that our DL was getting a lot of pressure on Stroud and how our DBs played their WRs really well, and how the overall defensive scheme and play calling was excellent.

They did mention that the Texans didn't have Nico Collins and that Dalton Shultz had to leave the game, which is fair, but again, we too have injuries. Hopefully Mack Hollins is ready for the Broncos game.

Bottom line, though, is we put up 28 on what was said to be the best defense in the league, and when the game was on the line in the 4th quarter Rham was a beast and we ate up the clock.

Bottom line: we were better than the Texans, and I right now don't give a damn if the Texans now have to decide to pay Stroud or let him walk.

We put up 21 on the best D in the league. Marcus had a pick 6. But that does not change your argument for me. Drake had 3 TDs. His ball security was abysmal. We can make excuses for him like weather, but he just has to do better. No excuses. This is New England and this is football. But imagine what we would have done if Drake didn't have 4 fumbles.

Texans don't need to decided anything about Stroud. He just competed year 3 and will have 2 years to get a contract done. They couldn't be in a better place. If he blows it again next year, they can cut bait.

 

[DaBruinz]

The narrative is that Sean Payton is a genius and he can win with any QB.

If we can get the same kind of pass rush that we had against the Texans, I can't wait to see how Stidham copes with it.

Also we just showed we have some pretty darn good ball hawks in our secondary.

I doubt Stidham is accurate enough to complete enough passes to win.

I'm already sick of this narrative that Payton is some QB whispering savant. The Guy has ONE SB title during his 15 year career with the Saints. He had one of the all time greats in Drew Brees as his QB..

He couldn't win with Russell Wilson. Trevor Siemian was 0-4 as a starter under Payton in New Orleans.

Is Payton a good coach? Yes. But he's no savant. He also only made the Conference championship twice previously..

 

[Ring 6]

If you look at the entire season 3rd and long is not a new thing. This offense has aspects of dink and dunk along with pushing the ball down field, so to say we tried to become dink and dunk isn't really accurate. I do agree that McD was calling plays too conservative at times because he was afraid of the defense, the weather, and the OL.

The 3rd and long was much worse.
They had 15 3rd downs. 2 were 3rd and less than 7, 8 were 7-9 and 5 were 10 plus.

Average game during the regular season was 12 3rd downs 6 of them less than 7 yards, 3 7-9 and 3 10+

So we faced 25% more 3rd downs (because we weren’t gaining first downs on 1st and 2nd by being more conservative)

But while typically 50% of 3rds have been 7 or more yards, yesterday 13 of 15 were 7+.

Also on the 3 TD drives we only faced 3rd a total of 3 times.
Making 1st downs on 1st and second and pushing the ball downfield are the keys to our offense. We strayed away from it most of the day.

 

[Urgent]

Anyone else at the game on the lighthouse side who got gassed out for five minutes during the introductions?
It was like being in Minneapolis for a while there.
Some pyrotechnics that created a pink fog given the weather conditions and filled that side of the bowl.

 

[Ring 6]

We put up 21 on the best D in the league. Marcus had a pick 6. But that does not change your argument for me. Drake had 3 TDs. His ball security was abysmal. We can make excuses for him like weather, but he just has to do better. No excuses. This is New England and this is football. But imagine what we would have done if Drake didn't have 4 fumbles.

Texans don't need to decided anything about Stroud. He just competed year 3 and will have 2 years to get a contract done. They couldn't be in a better place. If he blows it again next year, they can cut bait.

Weather had nothing to do with it. Getting hit by pass rushers while trying to throw has everything to do with it and every Qb in the NFL fumbled when there arm is hit by a pass rusher when starting the throwing motion.

 

[Ring 6]

So the punch out on the run was his fault or no?

The other team gets paid too.

That has nothing to do with “pocket awareness”

 

[Ring 6]

I'm already sick of this narrative that Payton is some QB whispering savant. The Guy has ONE SB title during his 15 year career with the Saints. He had one of the all time greats in Drew Brees as his QB..

He couldn't win with Russell Wilson. Trevor Siemian was 0-4 as a starter under Payton in New Orleans.

Is Payton a good coach? Yes. But he's no savant. He also only made the Conference championship twice previously..

Very true. Arguably he underperformed by only winning, only getting to, 1 with Brees

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

The other team gets paid too.

That has nothing to do with “pocket awareness”

I never mentioned pocket awareness.
It was a simple question.
Was the punch out his fault or not?

 

[ZotZot]

Woodson was one of the best players on the field yesterday, I am still shocked by how well he played

 

[ahmed]

There's that lack of reading comprehension again. You also have no idea what HATE looks like. I don't hate you. That requires too much energy and I wouldn't waste it on a fool like you.

Insults then? How do you square that with being such an outstanding religious person? Does it make you feel better to just constantly hurle insults at people?