"Going into their divisional-round game against the Texans, the Patriots were not favored by analysts or most fans outside of New England, mainly because of Houston's defense. As one of the most dominant groups in the entire NFL, there was an overwhelming belief that Drake Maye and his inexperienced offense wouldn't manage to do much of anything lined up against them."
"Orlovsky decided to completely diminish what they did and suggested that 31 other quarterbacks could've stepped up in CJ Stroud's place and beaten the Patriots on Sunday. Not only is that false, given their 2025 record and the slew of talented quarterbacks they beat, but it is also a slap in the face to what New England's defense did against a talented Texans team for no reason at all other than to continue a brigade against the 2025 team."
New England entered the divisional-round game as underdogs because Houston's defense ranked among the NFL's most dominant units. The Patriots upset the Texans despite Drake Maye having an imperfect performance, propelled by a strong defensive effort. Some analysts reacted negatively to the result, with one dismissing New England's win by claiming that 31 other quarterbacks could have beaten the Patriots. That claim ignores Houston's 2025 record and the number of talented quarterbacks the Texans defeated. The dismissal also minimizes what the Patriots' defense accomplished against a skilled Houston offense.
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