The New England Patriots punched their ticket to the AFC Championship Game, where they will square off against the Denver Broncos for the right to represent the conference in the Super Bowl.
Although the Patriots went undefeated on the road during the regular season, this will be their first road test of the playoffs for New England, and it could be the hardest challenge yet for Drake Maye and this offense. That said, it was expected that veteran wide receiver Mack Hollins would be available for the AFC Championship after he was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 27 ahead of Week 17. However, head coach Mike Vrabel downplayed that idea during his press conference on Monday afternoon.
When asked about Hollins, Vrabel shared that he isn’t certain if or when he’ll be available to practice. It was surprising to hear, considering that it’s been four weeks since Hollins has been managing an abdominal injury, and the fact that he might not be ready for action is concerning. Vrabel didn’t sound too confident during his press conference on Monday.
“I can’t be certain right now, Vrabel said. "We’re just still working through everything with some of those guys that could be back. … but you know, those aren’t decisions that we’ve made yet.”
The Patriots' offense has performed well without Hollins so far through the playoffs, but his presence on the field changes the entire dynamic of the offense. He’s the tallest receiver on the roster, an excellent blocker in the run game, and he was one of Maye’s top targets before he was assigned to IR.
Over the last four weeks, the Patriots have had contributions from their entire receiver corps while Hollins has been out. His role on the team is somewhat unmatched due to his size and skill set, but New England has been able to get by in the receiving game without him. It’s not ideal, but they might have to do it again in the AFC Championship, and it could be DeMario Douglas who steps up and gets more time on the field against the Broncos.
Patriots WR DeMario Douglas Has Stepped Up in the Playoffs
Although the stats don’t reflect this, Douglas has been on the field more during this playoff run than he has since Week 13 of the regular season. In the Wild Card and Divisional rounds, he recorded over 26 percent of the offensive snaps in each game, which he only managed to do a total of five times this season. In two games, Douglas has three receptions on four targets for 39 yards, averaging 13.0 yards per reception, and he’s scored one touchdown so far in the playoffs.
Douglas has been the main focal point of the offense since his rookie season. In 2023, he finished second on the team with 49 catches, and in 2024, he was tied for first on the team with 66 receptions. But in 2025, Douglas’ role decreased drastically, as he finished seventh on the team with only 31 receptions on 46 targets.
It’s worth mentioning that Douglas was poised for a breakout season in his first year working with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. He fits the prototypical model for a slot receiver in this system, and all the stars aligned for him to be the next one to fill the shoes of a Wes Welker, a Julian Edelman, or a Danny Amendola. Unfortunately, though, that didn’t happen this season.
Douglas has shown that he’s able to contribute in the playoffs and that he’s ready for the moment. Considering the unknowns surrounding the status of Hollins and with the AFC Championship Game this week, it could be Douglas who gets the nod to make an impact play to help the Patriots reach the Super Bowl.