Patriots–Texans, Broncos–Bills, Seahawks–49ers: How Boutte, Woodson, Bonitto, Fairbairn, and the Kickers Defined MLK Day Weekend 2026

Mo. Basuony

ago 2 hours

Patriots–Texans

MLK Day weekend (January 17–18, 2026) delivered three divisional-round storylines that all felt different on the surface but shared the same core lesson: January football is won by depth, takeaways, and specialists who don’t blink. That’s why searches surged for Kayshon Boutte, Craig Woodson, Marcus Jones, DeMario Douglas, Will Anderson Jr., Jayden Higgins, Xavier Hutchinson, Ka’imi Fairbairn, Nik Bonitto, P.J. Locke, Alex Singleton, Talanoa Hufanga, Zach Allen, Malcolm Roach, RJ Harvey, Matt Prater, Khalil Shakir, Ray Davis, Eddy Piñeiro, Julian Love, and even “Texans kicker” and “49ers kicker.”

Boutte, Douglas, Marcus Jones, and Craig Woodson Carry the Patriots Past the Texans

In a snowy Foxborough grind, New England beat Houston 28–16 behind a game script that looked chaotic but was actually simple: win the turnover battle and steal one explosive moment late.

DeMario Douglas opened the scoring with a 28-yard touchdown from Drake Maye, the kind of early strike that forces a defense-led opponent to play from behind.
Marcus Jones delivered the swing play: an interception return touchdown that turned a tight game into a Patriots lead Houston never fully escaped.
Craig Woodson stepped into the postseason spotlight with his first career interception, coming on a tipped pass in a sequence that summarized the Texans’ day: pressure, forced throws, and punishing consequences.
Kayshon Boutte put the game away with the defining highlight: a 32-yard fourth-quarter touchdown that included a one-handed, control-at-the-catch-point finish that instantly became the clip everyone shared.

Houston had reasons to believe entering the game, especially with its pass rush. Will Anderson Jr. was disruptive and nearly flipped a possession with a strip-sack moment that almost became a takeaway. But the Texans’ offense couldn’t survive the mistakes, and New England’s defense kept cashing in.

Texans Roster Pressure Points: Will Anderson Jr., Fairbairn’s Leg, and a Young WR Group Under Fire

When people searched “Houston Texans roster” right after the final, they weren’t just looking for names. They were looking for explanations.

Ka’imi Fairbairn kept Houston afloat, going 3-for-3 on field goals and hitting from distance (including a long 51-yarder) to keep the scoreboard respectable even as drives stalled.
Jayden Higgins and Xavier Hutchinson each had moments as targets, but the larger story around the receiving group was how little margin there is in a playoff road game when the quarterback is constantly behind schedule.

And one more name tied directly to the turnover swing: K’Lavon Chaisson. His pressure helped create the kind of hurried, floating throw that becomes a defensive touchdown in January. Houston’s defense was good enough to keep the game close. The giveaways were not.

Broncos Defense Goes Full Takeaway Mode: Bonitto, Locke, Singleton, Hufanga, Roach, Zach Allen

Denver’s 33–30 overtime win over Buffalo felt like a thriller, but the deciding stat was blunt: five takeaways. That’s why defensive names dominated the postgame chatter.

Nik Bonitto was the headline engine, repeatedly turning speed-to-power pressure into panic moments.
P.J. Locke came up with a key interception in the turnover wave.
Alex Singleton forced a fumble that flipped field position at a critical point.
Talanoa Hufanga showed up around the ball in the way he’s known for, part of a unit that treated the Bills’ possessions as opportunities.
Malcolm Roach and Zach Allen provided the interior muscle, combining for a drive-killing sack that helped keep Buffalo from playing comfortably on schedule.

The win came with a massive cost: Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury late in overtime, turning Denver’s AFC title-game path into a “next man up” quarterback situation.

RJ Harvey, Shakir, Ray Davis, and Matt Prater: The Offensive and Special Teams Plays That Kept It Alive

Buffalo still made enough plays to win, which is why “Shakir Buffalo Bills” and “Ray Davis” spiked too.

The Bills’ best late spark came on a hook-and-ladder: Khalil Shakir to Ray Davis, a creative call that turned desperation into a first down and set up points.
Matt Prater forced overtime with a 50-yard field goal, a pure pressure kick that kept Buffalo alive when the season was slipping away.

On the Denver side, RJ Harvey popped in the most January-appropriate way: one timely chunk gain in overtime that helped set the winning kick into reach.

Seahawks 41, 49ers 6: “49ers Kicker” Trends Because Piñeiro Scored All Their Points

Seattle’s 41–6 demolition of San Francisco started with instant shock: a 95-yard opening kickoff return touchdown that flipped the game’s emotional temperature in seconds.

From there, it was a rout powered by rushing and field position:

Kenneth Walker III scored three rushing touchdowns.
Jason Myers, the Seahawks kicker, added early points with a field goal that helped turn momentum into separation.

For San Francisco, only one position consistently produced: kicker.

Eddy Piñeiro hit two field goals (40 and 56 yards), accounting for all six points and driving “49ers kicker” searches as fans tried to make sense of how an offense can end a playoff run without reaching the end zone.

One defensive bright spot for San Francisco was Malik Mustapha, who notched a big sack despite the avalanche around him. For Seattle’s secondary, Julian Love remained part of the steady back-end presence that kept the 49ers from finding rhythm.

MLK Day weekend didn’t just decide who advanced. It clarified which rosters are built for playoff randomness: teams with multiple ballhawks, a pass rush that forces “bad decisions,” and kickers who can turn chaos into points.