Playoff football proved unstoppable, as the New England Patriots overcame the Houston Texans in Sunday’s game. After the win, a Patriots player addressed public perceptions surrounding the team’s postseason performance.
Why Did One New England Patriots DL Chide Critics After a Dominant Defensive Performance?
On the strength of a defense that allowed just 241 yards and 16 points, the Patriots advance to the AFC Championship game. The Patriots forced 5 turnovers and limited Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud to a completion percentage of 42.5%. That number falls far below his career high of 64.5%. After the game, Williams spoke to the press.
“It definitely fueled the whole defense. Nobody has been talking about our defense all year. We’ll see what they say today,” said defensive tackle Milton Williams. “Every week, we’re trying to come out and dominate, knowing that they do have a great defense, but in our minds, it was our defense versus their defense. See who could make more plays, create more turnovers, stop the run, and get the ball back to our offense.”
Along with Stroud’s 4 interceptions, New England sacked Stroud 3 times, hitting him 9 total times. At 9:35 of the first quarter, New England scored a touchdown, and they never trailed. Houston converted just three of 14 third-down attempts. Stroud did not look comfortable. Additionally, the running game was ineffective, averaging 2.2 yards per carry.
Throughout the season, Houston struggled offensively, ranking No. 23 in PFSN’s NFL Offense Impact Rankings. However, last weekend, the Texans accumulated 408 yards in a 30-8 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With most of the national narrative focused on quarterback Drake Maye, the New England defense stood tall during the season. They occupied the No. 12 spot in PFSN’s NFL Defense Impact Rankings. The unit held offenses to fewer than 300 yards 10 times this season.
Wow: Patriots DT Milton Williams says that the team saw the entire ESPN panel selecting the Texans to win the game and used it as motivation.
“Definitely. Ain’t nobody been talking about our defense all year. We’ll see what they got to say today”
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 19, 2026
Williams remains an integral part of the group. Last offseason, New England inked the 26-year-old to a lucrative free agent contract. Per Spotrac, the Patriots signed him to a four-year contract worth $104 million. The team expects him to serve in a multitude of responsibilities.
With his size (6’3″, 290 pounds), the former Philadelphia Eagle can play defensive end in odd-numbered formations such as a 3-3-5 (three linemen, three linebackers, five defensive backs) or 3-4 looks (three linemen, four linebackers). He also plays end in a 4-3 alignment (four linemen, three linebackers), which can present “over” or “under” fronts based on the alignment of the defensive line.
Additionally, on passing downs, New England can move Williams inside to play the three-technique position, where he lines up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard.
The Patriots travel to Denver to face the Broncos for a Super Bowl berth. Denver is without quarterback Bo Nix, who fractured his ankle in their divisional win over Buffalo.
