The New England Patriots will host the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round of the 2026 NFL playoffs. The winner will head to the AFC Championship Game.
The Patriots came into the postseason as the No. 2 team in the AFC. They earned a home game in the Wild Card round and took on the No. 7 Chargers. It was an ugly game, but the Patriots prevailed 16-3.
Quarterback Drake Maye is considered a finalist for the MVP Award based on his play in the regular season. In the Wild Card round, Maye finished with 268 passing yards with a touchdown and led the Patriots with 66 rushing yards on 10 carries.
The Texans are the No. 5 seed in the AFC. They went on the road in the Wild Card round to face the Steelers. It was a bad game until midway through the fourth quarter, when the Texans scored two defensive touchdowns to help them to a 30-6 win.
Here is everything you need to know about how to watch the Patriots face the Texans today.
Where to watch Patriots vs. Texans live stream, TV channel
- TV channel: 7Mate, ESPN
- Live stream: NFL Game Pass via DAZN
NFL fans residing in Australia can watch Patriots vs. Texans on 7Mate and ESPN. Every playoff game is available to stream live on NFL Game Pass via DAZN. See the full fixture list below.
Gridiron fans will be able to stream every game with NFL Game Pass International, including preseason games, the regular season, and the Super Bowl, plus NFL RedZone, NFL Network, NFL Originals, and more.
What time is Patriots vs. Texans kickoff today?
- Date: Monday, 19 January
- Time: 7 a.m. AEST
Patriots vs. Texans is scheduled to start at 7 a.m. AEST on Monday, 19 January. The game will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
NFL playoff fixtures, results 2026
Wild-card round
Sunday 11 January
| Matchup | Time (AEST) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Rams 34, Panthers 31 | — | — |
| Bears 31, Packers 27 | — | — |
Monday 12 January
| Matchup | Time (AEST) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Bills 27, Jaguars 24 | — | — |
| 49ers 23, Eagles 19 | — | — |
| Patriots 16, Chargers 3 | — | — |
Tuesday 13 January
| Matchup | Time (AEST) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Texans 30, Steelers 6 | — | — |
Divisional round
Sunday 18 January
| Matchup | Time (AEST) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Broncos vs. Bills | 8:30 a.m. | 7mate, ESPN, NFL Game Pass |
| Seahawks vs. 49ers | 12:15 p.m. | 7mate, ESPN, NFL Game Pass |
Monday 19 January
| Matchup | Time (AEST) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Patriots vs. Texans | 7 a.m. | 7mate, ESPN, NFL Game Pass |
| Bears vs. Rams | 10:30 a.m. | 7mate, ESPN, NFL Game Pass |
Conference championships
Monday 26 January
| Matchup | Time (AEST) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| AFC Championship | 7 a.m. | 7mate, ESPN, NFL Game Pass |
| NFC Championship | 10:30 a.m. | 7mate, ESPN, NFL Game Pass |
Super Bowl 60
Monday 9 February
| Matchup | Time (AEST) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| AFC winner vs. NFC winner | 10:30 a.m. | Seven, ESPN, NFL Game Pass |