What Mike Vrabel said about another up-and-down playoff performance from Drake Maye

New England Patriots

Maye had three touchdowns, including a highlight-reel throw to Kayshon Boutte. He also had four fumbles and three turnovers.

FOXBOROUGH – The Patriots knew all along that the Texans’ defense presented one of the toughest tests of the year. Ultimately, they passed with a 28-16 victory at Gillette Stadium.

Drake Maye made the throw of the day, hitting Kayshon Boutte for a one-handed TD grab in the fourth quarter that put the Patriots up by double digits. The precise throw was one of three touchdowns for Maye on Sunday.

But he also had three turnovers. He lost a pair of fumbles after being strip-sacked several times, along with an interception. Throw in a fumble and an interception against one touchdown in the wild-card round against the Chargers, and Maye has more turnovers than touchdowns this postseason.

He finished with 179 yards on 16-for-27 passing during the win on Sunday.

“We talk about not going in the blender. And I think it’s hard,” head coach Mike Vrabel said after the game. “They put pressure on us, and we know we’ve got to take care of the ball. Drake knows that. But to be able to stay the course and to trust Kayshon and give him a great ball that was him or nobody, and those guys have kind of done that all year — when we needed a play, they’ve been able to do that for us.”

Houston’s All-Pro edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter sacked Maye five times.

“We knew they were going to be good, and they lived up to the hype and all the statistics, and all the ball hunting that we saw on film,” Maye said. “They ball hunt. The edges are tough, got to do a better stepping up and, hit guys downfield when we had chances.”

The Patriots were aggressive on fourth down early in the game, and Maye rewarded them by hitting DeMario Douglas for the game’s opening touchdown. Stefon Diggs made a tough touchdown grab, and Boutte had the highlight-reel one-hander that put the game out of reach.

Maye, a North Carolina native playing his second career playoff game at Gillette Stadium, did enough at snowy Gillette Stadium for the Patriots to win.

“We made enough plays, scored 21 and the defense helped us out with seven. And we did what we had to do in the game,” Maye said. “The elements were a little tough. I have to be better with the football when I’m taking off and running. From there, just know that the football is the prized possession. And when we don’t turn the ball over and put the team in the best spots, I like our chances.

The seven defensive points that Maye mentioned came on a pick-six from Marcus Jones. K’Lavon Chaisson hit C.J. Stroud who launched a throw while falling backwards. Jones scooped it and raced for the end zone. It was one of many takeaways that gave Maye and the Patriots’ offense a boost.

“I think, again, there are times where it doesn’t look great,” Vrabel said. “And we know going against a great defense, which I mean that’s what they are, it’s hard. There’s some tough sledding. There’s some plays that don’t look great. It’s a fast, talented defense. And we talked about that coming in.”

“But in the end, I felt like we just kind of stuck around,” he added. “And we always talk about it only takes one play. And early on, that might have been Pop and Marcus. K.C. caused that touchdown that Marcus took back, or Kayshon in the second half and Drake giving him the ball. So it just takes one play. And I think that sparks us.”

The defense held up long enough to keep the Patriots in the game, and the offense made timely plays that put them over the top.

There’s another football game left on the schedule. It’s the Patriots vs. the top-seeded Denver Broncos for the AFC title next weekend in Colorado.

“I’m always excited for our organization, excited for the players,” Vrabel said. “I am appreciative of their work and their efforts. Everybody’s stepping up. We’re using everybody. Everybody’s making plays. Everybody’s helping us win. I’m excited for these guys, but also, they’re not satisfied, and I can tell that.”

Khari A. Thompson

Sports Reporter

Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.