The New England Patriots are set to host the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round on Sunday, January 18. Kickoff for the game from Gillette Stadium is set for 3 p.m. ET, and the winner will know who they'll face in the AFC Championship.
This game will see one of the top and most efficient offenses in football take on the scariest defensive unit in the NFL. The Texans' defense is a nightmare for any offensive coordinator or quarterback. Despite C.J. Stroud's multi-turnover game in the wild-card, the Texans won 30-6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As for the Patriots, they got past the Los Angeles Chargers in a low-scoring affair. They'll look to advance to the AFC Championship for the first time since 2019.
Here is more on who the Patriots or Texans could play next in the 2026 NFL playoffs.
MORE 2026 NFL PLAYOFFS:
- Full NFL playoff schedule
- NFL divisional round picks, predictions
- Updated NFL playoff bracket
- Ranking eight teams remaining in 2026 NFL playoffs
- NFL divisional round picks against the spread
Who will the Patriots or Texans play next?
Since it's the NFL Divisional Round, the Patriots and Texans will face the same opponents next round. The winner of their matchup will move on to the AFC Championship, facing the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos squeaked past the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen, automatically getting home-field advantage for the AFC Championship Game. Mile High is certainly no easy place to play, and Denver earned the right to host by clinching the No. 1 overall seed.
NFL playoff bracket 2026
