Patriots rout Texans in a key AFC matchup

FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts - Tom Brady can’t stop smiling these days. Or winning. Five days after becoming a father for a third time - something that brings the biggest grin of all to his face - Brady threw four touchdown passes, leading the Patriots to a 42-14 rout of the Houston Texans.

If the game was a measuring stick in the AFC, New England and its star quarterback aced the test with a seventh consecutive victory. Houston failed it.

“It’s a Monday night game,” Brady said. “We have played in a lot of big games in December.”

AP