Besides the regular practice sessions and drills, New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is also conducting psychological sessions in the locker room to ensure the team lacks no motivation. Ahead of their opportunity to host the Houston Texans at home, quarterback Drake Maye stepped forward to share insight into the motivational messages being delivered behind closed doors.

“We were just talking about it—there are 24 teams at home right now,” Drake Maye told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “There are 8 of us practicing and still working. He mentioned it today before practice—‘Raise your hand if you were still practicing at this time last year.’ I think Milton [Williams] was the only one. It was eye-opening.”

“He just reminded us to take advantage of it and know that we’ve got a chance,” Maye added.

At the same time last year, Maye had already finished his rookie season with four wins. Williams, on the other hand, recorded two sacks in the Eagles’ Super Bowl win that time. Now, one year later, Maye is just two wins away from reaching that same stage, starting with a divisional-round game against the Houston Texans.

The New England Patriots earned their first playoff win in seven years with a 16–3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. This helped them advance to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. The win capped a breakthrough season in the first year under head coach Mike Vrabel, who led New England to a 14–3 regular-season record and a 10-win improvement from the previous year.

Quarterback Drake Maye, on the other hand, played his first career playoff start on Sunday night at Gillette Stadium. He completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards and led the team with 66 rushing yards. Maye did throw an interception and lost a fumble, but the Chargers were unable to convert either turnover into points, allowing New England to stay in control throughout the game.

As for the only man with a raised hand, Milton Williams joined New England on a four-year deal coming off a Super Bowl-winning season with Philly. This means that the defensive tackle not only comes with playoff experience but has also experienced the thrill, pressure, and heat of a Super Bowl moment, which the Patriots currently aim for.

Mike Vrabel acknowledges the threat ahead of the upcoming Texans clash

The New England Patriots’ offense, led by Drake Maye, might be working wonders. But there are still enough challenges to be dealt with. Holding his position in the top 5 among the highest-ranked quarterbacks this season, Maye was seen penetrating through some of the most well-planned defenses. However, this time it’s the Houston Texans, a team whose strengths head coach Mike Vrabel readily acknowledged.

“They have great talent, a great scheme, and they play hard. I respect how hard they play,” Vrabel said. “They’re not only talented, but they also have a playful demeanor that I can appreciate. If they get blocked, they don’t stay blocked long. They can power different moves on the edge, you know; they play hard against the run. It’s not just if you run the ball that they’re taking plays off, so, you know, two really good bookends.”

The Houston Texans showed just how dangerous their defense can be in their recent win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The turning point came when Will Anderson Jr. forced a sack and fumble, and Sheldon Rankins returned it 33 yards for a touchdown.

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The defense added another score when Calen Bullock returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown. The Texans’ defense completely took control of the game, and the proven fact poses a major threat to the Patriots in the upcoming clash.