"It's not shocking that most doubted what the Patriots could do during the 2025 offseason, since it was just last year (and the year before) that they won only four games. It didn't matter much that they appeared to have found their franchise quarterback in Drake Maye or that Mike Vrabel was named the newest head coach: it didn't change the expectations for this team."
"In fact, most didn't anticipate they would get this far, especially those who made their game picks ahead of Sunday's divisional round matchup with the Texans. Because of that, it didn't take long for the Patriots' social media to troll them for their bad takes, much to the fans' delight. In the days leading up to the game, analysts across the networks were making their picks for this weekend's slate."
"It wasn't a pretty game, and it was far messier than anyone would have liked, but the defense kept the Patriots in it and helped seal the deal when they needed it most. It's the kind of performance they had long needed, especially after an inconsistent season by the group, and it certainly helped that they were at their healthiest for Sunday's game. Hopefully, that will remain true for next week's big matchup, despite a few players leaving the game with an injury."
Most observers doubted the Patriots after consecutive four‑win seasons despite adding quarterback Drake Maye and coach Mike Vrabel. The Patriots earned the No. 2 seed in the AFC and will face the Broncos in Denver in the AFC Championship. Many analysts picked the Texans to win the divisional game, but New England prevailed and used social media to mock incorrect predictions. The divisional contest was messy, yet the defense kept the team competitive and delivered key plays to secure victory. The defense benefitted from relative health, although a few players left the game with injuries. The Texans suffered their third straight divisional round defeat.
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