FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. Coach’s breakdown: Boston College coach Bill O’Brien has a unique perspective on Sunday’s AFC divisional round playoff game between the Houston Texans and Patriots at Gillette Stadium (3 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC).

O’Brien served as Texans head coach from 2014 to ’20, and he’s had two separate stints as a Patriots assistant (2007-2011, 2023), so he knows the innerworkings of both organizations. He also hired Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel for his first NFL job, as linebackers coach with the Texans in 2014.

When O’Brien is asked to dissect the matchup, he begins with DeMeco Ryans and Vrabel.

“Both head coaches — two former players, both having played for their organizations — have done a great job,” O’Brien said. “You can tell both teams enjoy playing for each other, and with each other. I think it’s going to be a great game.”

The Patriots are in a rare position by entering the game with two rookie starters on the left side of their offensive line — tackle Will Campbell and guard Jared Wilson. According to Elias Sports Bureau, no team had started rookies at both left tackle and left guard in the playoffs since the Patriots in 2005 with Nick Kaczur (tackle) and Logan Mankins (guard).

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Campbell and Wilson join center Garrett Bradbury, right guard Mike Onwenu and right tackle Morgan Moses in making up the unit O’Brien said he believes holds the key to New England’s hopes.

“It’s going to come down, on both sides of the ball, to the line of scrimmage. When you look at Houston’s defensive line, the way they play — obviously Will [Anderson] and Danielle Hunter, but also the interior guys — the Patriots’ offensive line has to play a helluva football game. I’m sure [offensive coordinator] Josh [McDaniels] will do things to help that matchup.

“Flipping it over now, you look at the Patriots’ defensive front, with Milton Williams and [Christian] Barmore, and the way they’re playing, that’s a big matchup for Houston’s offensive line. Even though everybody talks about obviously Drake Maye and the year he’s had — an amazing year — I’m telling you these two defenses are really good. You can’t underestimate how important it is for both offenses to take care of the ball. I don’t think it will be a high-scoring game. Ball security will be a big factor. Field position/special teams is also going to be a big factor in the game.”

As for the quarterbacks, Maye and C.J. Stroud were both a topic of conversation in one of O’Brien’s recent meetings with his players.

“I just spoke to our quarterbacks here at Boston College about this, how they’re both very poised and you can see that when you watch the TV copy [of games] — their facial expression, their eyes, and what they’re looking at pre-snap,” O’Brien said. “They both have the eye of the tiger, confident in their knowledge of their own offense, and their understanding of the defense. You can also see they’re very well coached.

“Now in the last game, for both guys, the ball was turned over a couple times. They’re going to have to take care of the football, rely on their running game, and know their defense is going to play a good game. I love watching both those guys play.”

Weather could add another layer of intrigue to the matchup, with the possibility of light snowfall. Temperatures are expected to be in the low to mid-30s.

“When I was in Houston, I always said it is one of the hottest places on Earth, regardless on the time of year. We had very tough football teams, but any time we had to travel to Green Bay, Denver, or New England late in the year — we had this exact game in 2017 — I do think it’s a factor,” O’Brien said.

“But I think Houston has proven, especially after last week in Pittsburgh winning their first playoff road game in the history of the organization — they can play in cold weather. That was a big step for that organization.”

Boston College coach Bill O’Brien offered some unique perspective on the Patriots-Texans clash. Getty Images

2. Diggs vs. Texans: By the end of the week, one Patriots player relayed that he had heard some of the comments made by Texans players to reporters, which was adding to their motivation. That might have been in reference to Texans defensive backs, who credited receiver Stefon Diggs with helping them last year during his one season in Houston, before saying: “We’re about to bring it to him.”

Diggs said he remains close with Stroud and receiver Tank Dell. Of spending the 2024 season in Houston, he said: “It was cool. I had a great time. Have a lot of respect for those guys over there, everybody including the GM [Nick Caserio] from the top down, coaches. Unfortunately for me, I got hurt. But fortunately enough, I landed here. Growing pains. You learn from a lot of things. It should be cool [playing them].”

3. Maye full circle: Maye’s first career start in the NFL came against the Texans on Oct. 13, 2024, which he joked last week felt like it took place 10 years ago. He reflected on his “first-snap jitters,” calling it a “long journey” to this point.

Even though the Patriots lost that game, 41-21, some teammates such as veteran tight end Hunter Henry said it was a game in which he knew Maye (20 of 33 for 243 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, 4 sacks) had a bright future because of how he held up against a tough defense.

“I was just trying to stay alive out there,” Maye said. “… We’ll hopefully have a different outcome this game.”

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4. Higgins and Henderson: The Patriots and Texans, with TreVeyon Henderson (911) and Woody Marks (703), were the only 2025 playoff teams that had rookies lead them in rushing yards. So the Patriots are naturally thrilled to have Henderson, whom they selected in the second round (No. 38).

Sunday’s matchup is timely to revisit how things might have been different if the Texans hadn’t selected Iowa State receiver Jayden Higgins at No. 34, and if the Patriots had to choose between Higgins and Henderson. The Patriots liked Higgins, too, and now they face him in the playoffs.

“Long, athletic, productive, really good catch radius, willing to block,” Vrabel said of the 6-foot-4, 214-pound Higgins, who would have fit a Mack Hollins-type role in the New England offense. “The more he plays, the better he’s gotten.”

The Texans, without No. 1 receiver Nico Collins (concussion), will need more even more from Higgins on Sunday. He finished the regular season with 41 receptions for 525 yards and six touchdowns.

5. Mack back? Hollins, who landed on injured reserve on Dec. 27 (abdomen), is eligible to begin practicing next week should the Patriots advance to the AFC Championship Game. Hollins has been on the sideline during games and more visible in the locker room during media-access periods of late.

“He’s around in all the meetings and we talk a lot about the things he might see with the upcoming opponent, and he’s been helping Efton [Chism] with some stuff,” receivers coach Todd Downing said. “So he’s definitely staying around and involved.”

6. McDaniels brothers: Maye was attempting to get a rise out of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels during the week, according to quarterbacks coach Ashton Grant.

The “friendly banter” was focused on what it will be like for McDaniels to be on the opposite sideline of his brother Ben, who serves as the Texans’ receivers coach/passing-game coordinator. They’ve met before in the regular season but never in the playoffs.

“Josh is a very competitive person himself,” Grant shared. “Drake tries to nudge him a bit, which is fun for the room.”

7. Tavai’s ordeal: In announcing linebacker Jahlani Tavai as their 2025 Ed Block Courage Award winner, the Patriots revealed that Tavai — while working his way back from a soft-tissue injury in training camp — had developed a rare autoimmune disease which required multiple physician’s visits with specialists and a “rigorous regimen of daily and weekly medications with various side effects.” Tavai acknowledged Friday the fear he felt at that time, noting his appreciation for the widespread support he received throughout the organization.

Tavai has played in 13 games this season (including playoffs), with seven starts. He’s played 21.8% of the defensive snaps, totaling 36 tackles, while regularly playing on core special teams units (9 tackles).

8. Hurricanes fans: The Patriots have a strong contingent rooting for Miami over Indiana in the CFP National Championship on Monday at Hard Rock Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), headlined by kicker Andy Borregales, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith, director of pro personnel A.J. Highsmith, practice squad defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III and scouting assistant Cam McCormick.

All are Miami alums. “We’re excited. They’re in the natty and it’s at home, pretty much,” Borregales said.

9. Live from Gillette: Patriots Hall of Famer Tedy Bruschi attended practice Thursday and then sat with Maye for an interview that is scheduled to air on ESPN’s “Postseason NFL Countdown.”

Patriots Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi watches practice on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/NHAJDQSb5k

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) January 15, 2026

Gillette Stadium will be buzzing well before kickoff, as “Sunday NFL Countdown” commentators (including Bruschi and Randy Moss) will be live on site — which is the sixth road trip in the 40-year history of the show. Fans are invited to see the show (starting at noon ET) as it broadcasts in the shadow of the Tom Brady statue. Furthermore, the “Monday Night Countdown” crew will be live from inside the stadium.

10. Did You Know: The Patriots are averaging 9.04 air yards per target this season (including playoffs), which is the second-highest mark in the NFL behind the Rams (9.17), according to ESPN Research. Last season, the Patriots averaged 7.26 air yards per target (22nd in NFL).