Le Journal

A pair of 2025 New England Patriots draft selections got another call in January. Running back TreVeyon Henderson and kicker Andy Borregales have been named to the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie team, the organization announced Tuesday. Henderson, 23, landed in Foxborough in the second round of April’s NFL draft at No. 38 overall. From there, the national champion by way of the Ohio State Buckeyes totaled 911 rushing yards, 221 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns through 215 offensive touches during his debut regular season. He led all rookies with 5.1 rushing yards per attempt, while ranking second in the class with nine rushing touchdowns and 1,132 scrimmage yards. Along the way, November’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month became the third newcomer in league history to break off four ground scores of 50-plus yards. Henderson is accompanied in the All-Rookie backfield by New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough and Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty. Borregales, 23, made his way to Gillette Stadium in the sixth round at No. 182 overall. The former Miami Hurricanes specialist converted on 27-of-32 field goals and 53-of-55 extra points over the course of the regular season with the AFC East champions. A game-winning 52-yarder against the Buffalo Bills and a career-long 59-yarder against the Miami Dolphins were among them. In between, the rookie kicker earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after splitting the uprights for four field goals and two extra points versus the Cincinnati Bengals in November. Borregales, who has since accounted for 14 points in the playoffs, is joined in the All-Rookie kicking game by Denver Broncos punter Jeremy Crawshaw, Tennessee Titans kickoff and punt returner Chimere Dike, as well as Pittsburgh Steelers core linebacker Carson Bruener. The PFWA has conducted voting for an All-Rookie team since 1974. Seven NFL clubs each had multiple All-Rookie selections this cycle. And in all, 20 clubs were represented on the roster of 27 spots. Last year, no Patriots made the All-Rookie team. Honorees from previous campaigns included punter Bryce Baringer in 2023, punt returner Marcus Jones and special teamer Brenden Schooler in 2022, quarterback Mac Jones and defensive tackle Christian Barmore in 2021, as well as guard Mike Onwenu in 2020. For 2025, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan took home PFWA Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year. On the other side of the ball, Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger secured Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Located at 5,280 feet above sea level, Empower Field at Mile High offers a unique home field advantage for the Denver Broncos. Whereas their players are in a familiar environment, visiting teams will have to get ready not just for the Broncos themselves as well as a hostile fanbase but also the effects of the altitude can have. On Sunday, those tasks fall on the New England Patriots, who will travel to Denver for the AFC Championship Game. So, how do the Patriots plan to prepare? By following the simplest possible plan: business as usual. “Other than going out there last Thursday, which wouldn’t have been an ideal situation considering we had to play last night, but I think just physiologically you have to be at altitude for longer than a day or two or three,” said head coach Mike Vrabel. “It takes time to do that. So, we’ll do what we’ve always done. We’ll travel, be in condition and be ready to play. That’s kind of about what it is.” In the past, the Patriots have opted for varying strategies to adapt to playing in Denver. Ultimately, none of them proved significantly more effective than others. This makes sense given Vrabel’s explanation that it takes over a week to fully acclimate to the change in altitude. As a consequence, the Patriots will spend the week in Foxborough and practice at their Gillette Stadium facility at 298 feet above sea level. That is the established and straight-forward method of preparation, and for Vrabel the more attractive one. “No tricks,” he said. “Just play well, try to be prepared and the better condition that you are, the less of an impact that that’s going to make. There’s no tricks.” Safety Craig Woodson echoed his head coach’s remarks about not switching anything up. “Our record says it. We’re 8-0 on the road. So, I don’t think there’s anything that we really need to change up,” the rookie defender explained. “We’ve had success on the road. We’re going to continue to have success. So, I don’t think we need to change up anything. We just prepare like we usually do and we’ll be ready.”

A divisional matchup against an elite Texans defense was expected to be a slugfest for quarterback Drake Maye and the Patriots offense. In a snowy Gillette Stadium, Maye took his fair share of punches as he delivered his lowest EPA per drop back (-0.27) of the season and lost a pair of fumbles as ball security issues remain in the spotlight.  But, Maye also threw his fair share of counters as well, topped by three touchdown passes that helped the Patriots punch their ticket to the AFC Championship Game with a 28-16 win over the Texans. Here’s how he did so on Sunday. Drive 2 (10:25) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short middle to S.Diggs to HST 28 for 13 yards (J.Pitre). Behind the sticks on 3rd-and-14, Hunter Henry runs off the middle linebacker to open space for Stefon Diggs to fill in underneath. The ball is out quick — something Maye, who posted his fourth quickest time to throw of the season, did throughout the day to beat the Texans pass rush — and on target to Diggs to set up a mangabey 4th-and-1. (9:41) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short middle to D.Douglas for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Going for it on 4th-and-1, DeMario Douglas motions to the right side of the formation which helps signal Houston’s intentions to blitz as safety Jalen Pitre is capped in the slot by Calen Bullock. The Texans then do send a blitz zero, where a double slant flat concept holds Pitre in the flat for just a second before Maye finds Douglas over the middle one-on-one against Bullock, who can’t log the pass breakup as Douglas takes it to the house. MAYE. DOUGLAS. 28-YARD TD ON 4TH AND 1!HOUvsNE on ESPN/ABCStream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/92q1eHeirw— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2026 Drive 3 (4:34) (Shotgun) D.Maye sacked at NE 12 for -10 yards (D.Hunter). FUMBLES (D.Hunter), recovered by NE-W.Campbell at NE 3. Throughout Sunday, Maye fumbled four times (losing two) a week after putting the ball on the ground twice (one lost). Not all fumbles are created equal, however, as a second-half strip sack came with Will Anderson firing off the line of scrimmage with an insane .41 second get-off and hitting Maye’s blindside as he went to throw. But, Maye was also at fault at times such as a first-half fumble that New England was fortunate to recover. With pressure flashing off the left interior, Maye drifts all the way into right tackle Morgan Moses and goes to uncork one downfield (despite no receiver appearing to be open), but fellow star pass rusher Danielle Hunter is there to knock the ball loose. Will Campbell was then able to jump on it near the goal line to avoid a complete disaster for the Patriots. Drive 7 (5:23) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short left to K.Boutte to HST 28 for 25 yards (H.To’oTo’o). With a four point due to Marcus Jones’ pick six, New England’s offense saw four straight drives end with a turnover or punt. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels then got things going by leaning on the same concept. On a straight slant flat concept with a simulated power action in the backfield, Maye takes a look to his running back in the flat to move Pitre just a step to the safeties right. That opens a second passing window for Maye to find Kayshon Boutte filling in behind the safety for a big gain to get the drive moving. (4:01) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short left to K.Boutte to HST 7 for 18 yards (K.Lassiter). Two plays later, New England goes back to a double slant flat concept with Douglas running a bluff screen underneath. Houston matches in man coverage this time which leaves Boutte one-on-one out wide. The receiver wins and Maye hits him to move the chains again. (3:17) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short left to S.Diggs for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The drive caps off with… you guessed it: a double slant flat concept. Stefon Diggs starts as No. 3 on Maye’s right and motions across the formation where he’s followed by Jalen Reed. With Henry’s slant and Henderson’s flat opening a tight passing window to Diggs, Maye drives one into the veteran receiver…

Le début d'année 2026 se poursuit avec le retour des compétitions européennes cette semaine. Le LOSC s'oppose au Celta Vigo, rencontre qui sera introduite en conférence de presse mercredi. Engagé dans une série négative de trois revers consécutifs, dont une élimination en seizièmes de finale de Coupe de France, le LOSC se retrouve plus que [...]