The Houston Texans are facing a tough challenge as they prepare for the next round of the playoffs. While they cannot afford to underestimate the New England Patriots, they can certainly plan accordingly. The results from Saturday’s AFC Divisional Playoff games have provided clarity on their upcoming path.

For the AFC, the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos had a fierce matchup. In the end, the outcome of these games has determined the next opponent for the Texans. The team will have to travel again, which has been their pattern so far. They first faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round and now they will take on the Patriots. However, the Texans have shown that they can perform well away from their home stadium, NRG Stadium, during the 2025 regular season.

Texans Would Face Broncos in AFC Championship Game

While the dates, times, and networks for Conference Championship weekend were already announced, it wasn’t until Saturday that it became clear who the Texans would face. Notably, the Texans have played both the Bills and the Broncos during the regular season. They split those games, losing to the Broncos in Week 9 but defeating the Bills in Week 12. Both games were held at home in Houston.

Saturday’s result gives the Texans an opportunity for redemption on Championship Sunday. The Broncos have a strong defense that ranked second overall and third in scoring during the regular season. They also led the NFL in sacks by a significant margin. Their offense is ranked 10th and 14th, respectively.

C.J. Stroud, the Texans’ quarterback, was injured during their first meeting with the Broncos, missing the next three contests. During that time, Davis Mills took over under center, leading the team to three consecutive wins. This winning streak is something the Texans hope to continue on Sunday against the Patriots. If they succeed, they could look forward to a chance at redemption.

The Texans’ defense is a key strength, ranking first overall and second in scoring during the 2025 regular season. They feature standout players like Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. Offensively, the Texans ranked 18th overall, but they were 13th in scoring, even with Stroud’s absence.

NFL Announces Championship Sunday Schedule

Stroud and the Texans can now start planning their travel and accommodations for a potential trip to the AFC Championship Game. However, they still need to defeat the Patriots first. According to the NFL, the AFC Championship Game will be held at 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. CT), while the NFC version will be at 6:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m.), both on Sunday, January 25, regardless of whether the Texans are included in the schedule or not.

The AFC game will air on CBS and Paramount+, while the NFC game will be broadcast on FOX and FOX ONE. The Texans played nine games on CBS during the regular season, finishing with a 6-3 record in those contests. This week’s Divisional game against the Patriots is the only one of the season scheduled for a 3 p.m. time slot. There is no advantage for the Texans here, and they will be the less rested team, as the Broncos will have an extra day to rest and recover.

Texans Are Road Warriors

Stroud and the Texans are considered road underdogs in this game, which is expected given head coach DeMeco Ryans’ team being the lower seed in the playoff bracket. However, the Texans had five road wins during the regular season, tying for the fourth-most in the NFL, according to Stathead. They also had the eighth-best point differential on the road, ranking fifth in their conference.

Meanwhile, the Patriots suffered all three of their losses at home in Foxboro. All of this may not matter once the game starts, as the outcome will ultimately be decided on the field. If the Texans want to secure a spot in the AFC Championship Game against the Broncos, they must first overcome the challenge posed by the Patriots.

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