Overview
- In snowy conditions at Gillette Stadium, New England picked off Stroud four times before the break, including a Marcus Jones pick-six.
- Carlton Davis collected two interceptions, with Craig Woodson and Jones securing the others for the Patriots.
- The first half featured sloppy offense from both teams, as Patriots quarterback Drake Maye fumbled three times with one turnover lost.
- New England’s defense, ranked No. 3 in scoring and No. 6 in total during the regular season, continued its strong postseason form.
- Social media reaction was swift, with fans and analysts mocking Stroud’s decisions and questioning his consistency as Ryans stuck with him to start the second half.