The Houston Texans play the New England Patriots this Sunday, January 18, 2026, in the AFC Divisional Round, with kickoff at 3:00 p.m. Eastern (2:00 p.m. Central).

Game basics

  • Date: Sunday, January 18, 2026
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. CT
  • Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts
  • TV: ABC and ESPN (national broadcast)

Quick Scoop

  • This is an AFC Divisional Round playoff matchup, with the winner advancing to the AFC Championship Game.
  • The Patriots secured the home game as the higher seed after a strong regular season, while the Texans are coming off an impressive wild-card road win.

In short: if you’re planning to watch, clear your Sunday afternoon—Texans at Patriots kicks off mid-afternoon on national TV.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.