The New England Patriots’ Kayshon Boutte did not forget how the ESPN analysts went Texans-heavy during the predictions, lacking confidence in Drake Maye. Soon after the Patriots won the game by 28-16, the wide receiver posted on social media with a subtle message to the analyst panel.

“They gone respect this shit eventually 🤷🏾‍♂️” wrote Kayshon Boutte on Instagram.

The picture carousel covered different moments from the game, including his one-handed touchdown catch. Interestingly, the WR also slid a picture of the ESPN NFL Live analyst panel predicting the game in favor of the Texans. They went against Drake Maye and Co., and the wide receiver did not miss the chance to get back at them.

On paper, Gillette Stadium usually tilts the NFL panel firmly toward New England. But this time, even with the Patriots holding the top seed, that home-field advantage was missing. A perfect 8-0 on the road record perhaps contrasted sharply with a 6-3 mark in Foxborough for the analysts, as everyone picked the underdog seed.

Mia Kimes, Ryan Clark, and Dan Orlovsky predicted a 20-17 score in favor of the Texans. Hannah Storm and Marcus Spears also walked the same path, but their scorelines differed a bit, 24-17 and 17-14, respectively. None of them thought the Patriots would score more than 17 points, yet they scored 28 points. On the other hand, the Texans scored 16. This number was eventually lower than what everyone projected. Upon knowing the panel had unanimously picked the Texans, they were all in shock as Marcus captioned the moment, “This is bad.”

The game itself played out heavily in favor of the Patriots. Drake Maye completed passes for 179 passing yards and three touchdowns. Although he fumbled a few times, it was not enough to stop the frontrunner in the MVP race. Even Boutte had a great game. His box score read three receptions for 75 yards and his first touchdown since Week 17.

For many, it is a miracle to see the Patriots clinch the AFC Championship berth after opening their season with a loss against the Raiders. The earlier season had been one to forget, finishing 4-13. However, that number was flipped entirely in 2025. Now, the franchise needs two more games to win its 8th Lombardi Trophy. To add to their confidence, the Patriots are expecting the return of one of their key wideouts, who has been away since Week 16.

Mack Hollins is expected to return this week

Some may feel that the Patriots’ offense is already star-filled with Boutte and Diggs, but as per the latest news, Mack Hollins could soon add to that list, increasing their firepower. The WR missed the last four games after suffering an abdominal injury against the Ravens in Week 16.

Before facing the Broncos, Mike Vrabel’s team will practice on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Since Hollins is eligible to return from IR, he could join the sessions this week. He was having a productive season before getting injured. He recorded 46 catches for 550 yards and scored two touchdowns in 15 games. That being said, his last touchdown was in Week 4 against the Panthers.

“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 III) with some stuff,” Patriots receivers coach Todd Downing said last week, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “He’s definitely staying around and involved.”

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Now, it remains to be seen whether the WR is present during Wednesday’s practice session. His return against the Broncos is more likely if he attends the session. The Broncos enter the matchup shorthanded, forced to lean on QB2 after Bo Nix’s injury disrupted their offensive rhythm at a crucial stage. The drop-off under center has only added to questions around Denver’s firepower. The clash is set for Sunday, Jan. 25 at 3 p.m. ET, with Empower Field at Mile High.