Pats reach AFC title game after forcing turnovers

The New England Patriots beat the Houston Texans 28-16 as multiple turnovers and strong defensive plays helped New England advance to the AFC Championship Game.

Mike Vrabel's first season as New England's head coach reached a late-January milestone as the Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16 to move on to the AFC Championship Game. The game featured wintry conditions with snow and rain, and Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes while the Patriots' defense forced multiple turnovers. Marcus Jones returned one of C.J. Stroud's interceptions for a score and New England closed out the win at home. The Patriots will travel to Denver next Sunday to face the Broncos in the conference title game. Key details: - Final score: New England Patriots 28, Houston Texans 16. - Drake Maye was 16-of-27 for 179 yards with three touchdown passes, one interception and four fumbles, two of which were lost. - C.J. Stroud finished 20-of-47 with one touchdown pass and four interceptions in the game; the article reports he became the first player with five or more interceptions and five or more fumbles in a single postseason. - Carlton Davis III had two interceptions for New England; Craig Woodson added an interception and a fumble recovery. - The teams combined for eight turnovers, the most in a playoff game since 2015, and the Patriots improved to 16-3 on the season and 8-0 on the road this year. Summary: New England's defense and timely plays amid difficult weather helped the Patriots win and advance to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since the 2018 season. They will face the Denver Broncos in Denver next Sunday with the conference title and a Super Bowl berth at stake.