The New England Patriots are back in the AFC Championship Game, and the social media team had a golden opportunity to let the Houston Texans know.
New England created five turnovers and beat the Texans 28-16 on Sunday in the Divisional Round at home. The Patriots’ social media team then fittingly posted a reminder that the ESPN analysts all picked the Texans ahead of the game.
“Oh no,” the Patriots social media team humorously wrote with a nervous emoji.
Houston gave the ESPN staff good reason to pick the team unanimously. The Texans boasted one of the best defenses in the league and just dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 on Jan. 18.
New England did have trouble with the Houston pass rush on Sunday, with five sacks allowed, but the Patriots produced four scoring drives to pull off the win. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye went 16-27 for 179 yards for three touchdowns versus one interception.
“It wasn’t pretty. The defense kept us in it, and when we needed plays, the offense came through,” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters afterward.
The Patriots will play in the AFC Championship Game for the first time since the 2018 season. Houston dropped to 0-7 all-time in the Divisional Round and remained the only team since 1970 to not reach a conference championship game.
Patriots HC Mike Vrabel on Making the AFC Championship Game
Vrabel returned to New England last year after two dismal seasons in Foxborough.
The Patriots went through two coaches — Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo — amid back-to-back 4-13 seasons. New England’s dynasty days seemed long gone, but Vrabel injected new life into the Patriots organization with a 14-3 season, AFC East title, and now an AFC Championship Game appearance.
“I’m always excited for our organization, excited for our players,” Vrabel said. I’m appreciative of their work, their efforts…I’m excited for these guys, but they’re not satisfied. I can tell that.”
New England overhauled its roster under Vrabel with nine draft picks and the biggest salary cap space in the league for 2025. The Patriots’ large free agent class helped deliver a major turnaround, and they can do more next week in Denver.
Vrabel once played for the Patriots as a linebacker during the early years of the dynasty and won three Super Bowls as a player.
ESPN Sends Message on Patriots
While ESPN won’t issue an apology for unanimously picking the Texans, the network’s social media team touted the Patriots’ win afterward.
“The torch has been passed,” ESPN wrote of the Patriots. “Drake Maye leads the Patriots to the AFC Championship [Game] for the first time since Tom Brady.”
Indeed, the Patriots were looking for the next torch bearer at quarterback since Brady left after the 2019 season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. New England didn’t win a playoff game again until this season, and the Patriots cycled through quarterbacks and coaches — similar to the reality of many other NFL teams instead of a two-decade dynasty.
The Patriots finally found their guy in Maye with the No. 2 pick out of North Carolina in 2024. Maye showed promise as a rookie while the Patriots were still mired in losing, but he took his game to an MVP level in year two, and he now has the team on the cusp of a Super Bowl appearance.
Patriots Troll Texans With 2-Word Message After Victory