Lorenzo Reyes

USA TODAY

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The game was all but over.

The New England Patriots had crushed the Houston Texans — again — this time 34-16 in the divisional round of the playoffs.

But Texans coach Bill O’Brien, who served as New England’s offensive coordinator while Houston defensive tackle Vince Wilfork was a pivotal piece of the Patriots, made one last call.

Tom Brady bled the clock out with kneeldowns, but O’Brien called for Wilfork to leave the field before the final play.

The crowd that remained in spite of the blowout gave him a standing ovation.

“I think I have played my last NFL football game,” Wilfork told reporters Saturday night. “I will take time and do my due diligence and sit back to see if I really want to retire. We will see. I don’t know how long that will take. I will see. It doesn’t change the fact that I enjoyed every bit of my career.

“I enjoyed 11 great years in New England and enjoyed two great years in Texas with unbelievable teammates. I couldn’t have any better teammates from both organizations. And you talk about the organizations themselves and you talk about the top of the class.”

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If it is Wilfork’s last game, he will go down with 559 total tackles, 16 sacks, three interceptions and four forced fumbles.

“Man, he pushed me,” Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney said. “He pushed me every day. I appreciate him. I tell the coaches: ‘We need him.’ He was a big, big, big help for this defense to have him out there. He’s going to be missed next year,”

PHOTOS: Best of the divisional round