New England Patriots Activate Key Offensive Weapon Ahead Of AFC Championship Game
Seeing the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game without a guy named Brady under center or a guy named Belichick roaming the sidelines still feels like spotting a unicorn in the wild.
New England Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel has this team humming, and just as they pack their bags for the thin air of Mile High to take on the Broncos, they got the kind of news that makes a quarterback sleep a little better at night. Mack Hollins is back.
On Saturday, the Patriots officially activated the veteran wide receiver from injured reserve. If you’ve been following the season closely, you know this isn’t just a depth chart move. This is getting the team’s emotional sparkplug back right when the lights are brightest.
Why Mack Hollins Is the X-Factor
Hollins has been sidelined since late December with an abdominal injury that landed him on IR. Before he went down, he was quietly putting together a solid campaign as the team’s third-leading receiver with 550 yards and a couple of scores. But looking at the box score with Hollins is like trying to judge a painting by looking at the frame.
He is 6-foot-4, 221 pounds, and plays with the kind of chaotic energy you need in January football. He’s a beast in the run game, and he gives Drake Maye a massive target on those crucial in-breaking routes.
Plus, there’s the “Tarzan” factor. The man walks around barefoot. He reportedly eats without utensils. He is the kind of eccentric character that keeps a locker room loose when the pressure mounts. You can’t quantify vibes in a spreadsheet, but having a personality like that back in the huddle matters.
Giving Drake Maye His Safety Valve
Maye has played his way into the MVP conversation, which is absurd for a guy leading a roster that was supposed to be in a “rebuild.” But going into Denver to play for a trip to the Super Bowl is a different beast.
The Broncos, despite their own quarterback issues, still boast a defense that allowed fewer than 190 passing yards per game this season. They are stingy. Maye has relied heavily on Hunter Henry and the emergence of Kayshon Boutte, but getting Hollins back changes the math. It forces the defense to respect the size on the outside, potentially opening up lanes for DeMario Douglas to do his thing underneath.
The Denver Situation: A Battle Of Attrition
While the Patriots are getting healthier, the Broncos are limping into Sunday. Denver lost Bo Nix to a broken ankle, meaning New England will be facing an old friend: Jarrett Stidham.
Stidham knows the Foxborough way, but the Patriots’ defense has been lights out recently, shutting down C.J. Stroud in the Divisional Round. With Hollins back to help sustain drives and keep the defense off the field, the path to victory becomes a lot clearer: control the clock, bruise them in the run game, and force Stidham to beat you.
One Win Away
It’s been a wild ride since 2019. We’ve seen the dynasty dismantle and a new foundation poured. But here we are. The Patriots are one win away from the Super Bowl.
They made room for Hollins by moving rookie Defensive Tackle Eric Gregory to IR, a tough break for the youngster, but this is playoff football. You need your veterans. You need your tough guys. You need the guy who eats with his hands and blocks linebackers for fun.
