At home against the top team in the AFC, the Patriots dismantled the 11-1 Houston Texans on Monday Night Football. Tom Brady threw four touchdowns in New England's first home game against the Houston Texans since 2006. After punting on their opening drive, Welker returned the punt 31 yards to the Patriots 44-yard line. The Patriots raced 56 yards in just 7 plays with Hernandez catching a 7-yard touchdown pass. On 1st-and-goal from the 4, running back Stevan Ridley fumbled, but tight end Aaron Hernandez recovered at the 7. Hernandez would reap the reward on the next play, catching Brady's 7-yard touchdown pass for the early lead. The Texans drove all the way to the Texans 21, but on 2nd-and-8, Matt Schaub was intercepted at the 1 by Devin McCourty who returned it to the Patriots 19. The Patriots proceeded by swooping 81 yards in a ridiculous 6 plays to take a 14-0 lead on a 37-yard touchdown reception by Brandon Lloyd. After another Texans punt, the Patriots drove 70 yards, with Brady finding Hernandez, again, uncovered, for a 4-yard touchdown giving the Patriots a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. After both teams traded punts, the Texans began a 10 play, 56-yard march to the Patriots 33, but on 4th-and-5, Schaub threw an incomplete pass intended for Kevin Walter, turning the ball over on downs. After a Patriots three-and-out, the Texans drove to the Patriots 38, but once again, on 4th-and-5 Schaub threw an incomplete pass, once again intended for Walter for another turnover on downs. Neither team scored for the remainder of the half. After both teams punted to start the second half, the Patriots scored on a 74-yard drive, with a 63-yard touchdown pass to Dont&#233; Stallworth increasing the Patriots lead to 28-0. Stallworth played his first game with the Patriots since August training camp (and first official game since 2007). Following the game, Stallworth was diagnosed with an ankle injury and placed on IR. The Texans finally managed to answer on their next drive by storming 88 yards in just 7 plays, aided by three Patriots penalties, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run by Arian Foster. The Patriots continued their scoring barrage two drives later. The Patriots marched 72-yards in 9 plays, with Brady throwing a screen pass to Woodhead, J. J. Watt forcing him to fumble, but Brandon Lloyd jumping on it in the end zone for a Patriots touchdown, increasing the lead to 35-7. After the Texans punted, the Patriots marched 68 yards in 10 plays, with Ridley rushing for a 14-yard touchdown, blowing the game open 42-7. Later Brady was pulled up 42-7 for Ryan Mallet who promptly threw an interception at his own 25. T. J. Yates, replacing Schaub, engineered a 25-yard drive ending with his 1-yard touchdown run. Mallet took three knees on the next drive and the Patriots won the game. Tom Brady was on point, completing 21/35 passes for 296 yards, 4 touchdown and 0 interceptions. He was backed up by Ridley and Vereen combining for 112 yards on 26 carries. The Texans offense and defense were overwhelmed, being out-gained 419-323. The win pushed the Patriots to 10-3 while the Texans fell to 11-2, the start of the Texans losing three of their last four, missing out on either a #1 or #2 seed.. How many more games had the Texans won in the season than they had lost before this game?