The Houston Texans visited New England Patriots in what was billed as one of the most exciting games of the season between two sides on six-game winning streaks.
There was only ever one side in it, however, as the Patriots raced into a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter and they never looked back.
Texans did manage two touchdowns but they were already 28 points down when their first arrived and the game was long over when they scored their late second.
See how the action unfolded below.
Hello and thanks for joining me for the huge Monday night football clash as the Texans visit the Patriots in the AFC.
A quick note that we're on EST for this game - five hours behind GMT and one ahead of CST.
Tonight we have two of the most attacking offences in the entire league coming face to face. Both sides have qualified for the playoffs but they will want to continue their form until the end of the season.
Both franchises are comfortably top of their respective divisions. Tonight's hosts the Patriots have a 9-3 record and a massive 170 net points. They have recovered from an indifferent start to enter this game on a six-match winning streak.
The Texans have been defeated just once all season so far and have already taken the AFC South division. Their streak is also six and while they have a lower net points tally - 130 - than the Patriots they have the fourth-meanest defence in the entire league.
A bit of news on the inactive front. For the Texans Ryan Harris will replace Derek Newton at right tackle.
For Patriots, running back Brandon Bolden is off the inactive list for tonight's game.
Here's the full list of inactives. Firstly, the Texans inactives: CB Ball, OLB Reed, G Caldwell, G White, T Newton, TE Graham, NT McClain.
Patriots inactives: S Gregory, RB Develin, OL McDonald, OL Zusevics, TE Gronkowski, DE Bequette, DL Brace
So it's a battle between two very different quarterbacks at the Gillette Stadium. Texans' Matt Schaub runs an offence that has a near 50:50 rush-pass ratio.
He is up against the throwing dominance of Tom Brady, who will surely go down as one of the very best ever QBs. Brady has a nearly 65% pass completion, seven 300-plus yard throwing games and has been intercepted just four times. It will be a huge test of the Texans' D.
Even though they have the best record in the NFL to date, a lot of experts do not consider the Texans to be a contender for the Super Bowl. We'll surely find out tonight?
While Patriots have not been at their dominant best since the 2001-2004 period when they won the top gong three of four times, they're a very good team for the contenders to test themselves against. They've been in five of the last 11 Super Bowls, remember.
We have the fifth-best pass offence (Patriots) against the 10th-best and the sixth-best rush offence (Texans) against the eighth-best. It's pretty close on paper and I'm expecting it to be close in reality.
That said, I do expect Brady to throw his team to victory tonight. It should be high-scoring and exciting, but I'm plumping for the Patriots by a single TD.
The Patriots kick, and we're underway!
Immediate first-down gain, but a penalty forces them back, however a run down the left from Arian Foster picks up the yards needed.
Patriots call a very early timeout after Texans' early success with the running game.
Foster again tries to run but this time the Patriots shut him out for a yard loss. Foster, again, through the middle this time and picks up five for 3rd & 6 and Schaub finally throws but it's incomplete long down the right. They'll have to punt.
Caught on the 14 and Welker carries it 31 yards to the 45. Fantastic jinking run there.
Run first up from the Patriots and Steven Ridley makes four yards before gaining big yards on second down with a well-blocked run down the right.
Four yards gained again by Ridley on first down and Brady passes on second but it's incomplete for 3rd & 6. Big throw for Brady on third is incomplete but Houston are penalised for holding and Patriots have a lifeline.
Brady throws for a big completion! Twenty-five yards for Welker, who is hauled down four yards from the line.
Touchdown Patriots! Ridley runs, is tackled and the ball pops free, but Texans cannot gather it in! Jackson fails to scoop it up and it's just a three-yard loss after all that. Brady makes the most of his second chance and Aaron Hernandez gathers just before the line to run through for the score. The extra point is good and Patriots lead.
It's a touchback and we start from the Houston 20.
Andre Johnson catches short for an eight-yard gain before decent yardage from the short pass to Forsett gains first down.
Schaub throws a first down short to the middle to Daniels.
Schaub is sacked in a rapid Patriots blitz for a loss of four. Foster takes the ball and can only run for two, setting up 3rd & long. Lester Jean takes a good catch through the middle for a long completion.
Foster with the run and gains two on the play. Texans now up to the Patriots's 21. But incerception! McCourty catches it clean in the end zone and the drive ends for the Texans. Patriots will resume on their own 18.
Brady forced to throw into the ground with the Texans defence surrounding him like vultures. JJ Watt is quick to block the run on the next play and it's 3rd & 10, which does not faze Brady, who completes left to Lloyd.
Nice short throw to Danny Woodhead, who carries it further for a gain of 18 on the play.
Another first down for Brady, this time to Hernandez down the middle.
Touchdown Patriots!
Wow, what a throw Brady. Brandon Lloyd gets free deep in the middle-left and Brady picks him out with ease for a 37-yard TD. Too easy, and the kick is good. Texans 0-14 Patriots
Decent return from Harrington and Houston will pick it up from their 24.
Schaub with a good completion for 15 yards to Johnson.
Foster to rush again but he's surrounded for a loss of three. Again he's stopped short and gains just one, it's now 3rd & 12. On the play Schaub is hit and fumbles, but Texans recover for a big loss.
Texans 0-14 Patriots
Four yards gained on the throw to Woodhead, before two of those are lost on a Ridley run. Brady completes the third & long to Hernandez.
Ridley gains two up the middle on first down and Hernandez catches on second but is tackled for a loss of two by Jackson. This time the third down is incomplete but a flag on the play is given for pass interference and another lifeline for Brady's Patriots.
Short throw to Welker, who accelerates quickly for a total gain of 16 on first.
The same combination work another first down to bring up 1st & goal. Brady tearing it up here.
Touchdown Patriots!
Again it's too easy. Hernandez is wide open on the left and you don't need to be Tom Brady to complete that pass. The extra points is good and it's now Texans 0-21 Patriots!
Five-yard gain for Foster on first down before he's stopped up the middle for no gain. On 3rd & 4 Schaub throws and it's blocked incomplete at the line of scrimmage and another drive ends quickly. They punt to the New England 33.
Brady only gets a short rest before his right arm is back in action. A run on first down from Ridley gains two before Hernandez catches and is tackled two yards short. The throw on third down is for once incomplete and this time the Patriots must punt.
Fair catch called by Martin on his 11 and Houston need 89 yards on their next drive for a TD.
Big throw down the middle for Johnson sets up first down and the same combination gain nine on the next play. Foster runs the remaining yards.
Schaub struggles to find a receiver, but eventually Foster gets himself open for a gain of two. Foster then gains nine on the second down to bring up first.
Chandler Jones cuts out Schaub's first attempt and on second down Forsett is stopped in his tracks immediately for a loss of two. It's 3rd & long and Schaub throws to Jean but it's not long enough. Just within field goal range this. Timeout Texans.
Instead they throw, but the ball pops out of Walter's hands before it's complete and Patriots will drive now.
Immediately Brady goes long left and it's just too far and out of bounds. Vereen gains four yards with a run through the middle and Brady completes to Lloyd but pass interference pulls them back for 3rd & very long. Brady throws incomplete and there'll be time for Houston to get on the board before half-time.
Fantastic stat to the drive as a short pass to Foster gains 23 yards on the run to the Patriots 23.
A simple looking pass is not hauled in by Foster - in truth it was a bit high for him. Patriots timeout on second down.
No gain on a run by Foster brings up the two-minute warning.
Five-yard penalty against Patriots brings up 3rd & 5 instead of 10. The throw from Schaub is patted down and incomplete. Timeout for Patriots.
On 4th & 5 Schaub is incomplete and the Texans are looking beaten already!
One yard gained on the run by Vereen and a complete throw gains another five. Incomplete on 3rd & 3 - the Houston defence is finally starting to perform the last few drives, but not until 21-0 down. Patriots punt with very little time in the half remaining for the Texans to get a score.
First down gains 10 immediately.
An incomplete throw followed by another to Jean - the receiver did drop it but it was not a good throw.
Texans 0-21 Patriots
It's been utterly dominant from the hosts tonight. The Texans haven't even had a sniff of the end zone and their defence didn't start playing until they were already three TDs down. Brady has been untouchable with his passing range.
Texans kick to start the third quarter. Patriots will start their drive from the 20.
Big throw on first down is just incomplete as Welker's dive cannot reel in the football. Vereen picks up nine yards with a jinking run, and bundles over for a gain of four to bring up first down.
Brady goes longish through the middle on first, but it lands in space with no offence or defence anywhere near. On 2nd & 10 Vereen picks up two with the rush and it's incomplete long again from Brady on third down, meaning they'll need to punt.
Penalty against Houston for holding after the punt, but it's good D early in this half for the Texans. Another long drive awaits for Schaub.
Foster runs for three and is then dropped for a loss of two. It'll be 3rd & 9 and as Johnson looks to get through he's tackled superbly By Grondowski. The punt is big and is returned to the 26.
Brady once more goes for the big throw on first time. Agsin it's incomplete on the left, just too far ahead of Vereen. The throw to Hernandez on second is good and he carries the extra yards for 11 overall.
Touchdown Patriots!
What a huge play Brady! Stallworth collects the massive throw and runs the remaining 15 for a 63-yard TD! The kick is also good to make it Texans 0-28 Patriots
Texans line up on the 12 and Schaub throws medium left to Johnson for a 16-yard gain.
Johnson gathers again for a gain of four. Schaub goes long on second down and there's a flag for pass interference - yardage penalty against the Patriots and it's first down.
Great run from Ben Tate to gain 23 yards.
Offensive pass interference against Jean puts them back 10 yards for 1st & 20. Foster gains seven from the throw short left, and an excellent play seen Schaub find Casey who almost gets over - 30 yards on the play.
Touchdown Texans!
On 1st & goal Schaub gets rid of the ball under heavy pressure, before Foster runs for the touchdown. The kick is good and it's Texans 7-28 Patriots
Patriots begin on their 20 and Brady goes incomplete with a throw short left. Seven yards gained on second down after a good tackle by Jonathan Joseph, and Brady is sacked on third down!
Houston will start their drive from their own 29.
Eight-yard gain first up with the throw short right. Schaub then goes left but the pass is completed for a one-yard loss and third down is incomplete. Texans punt after another short drive.
Ridley runs for two yards to the right of centre, Brady goes long right on second-down but is incomplete. However, five-yard penalty against Texans and automatic first down.
Nine-yard gain on the throw to Hernandez with Ridley running the remainder on second down. On the first down a good throw by Brady gains another 1st & 10.
Ridley runs for five through the middle, before a similar play is stopped for no gain. Brady spots a gap and makes the yards himself for a first down.
Texans 7-28 Patriots
Hernandez picks up 18 yards on the throw and they gain more yards from a defensive penalty.
Touchdown Patriots!
Superb running from Woodhead after picking up the pass to skin a couple of the defence. The ball is stripped from him but the fumble pops straight up to Lloyd who gratefully pounces for the TD. Good kick and the score is Texans 7-35 Patriots
Tate runs the 10 yards, before gaining eight more on the next first down. He ekes out another one for 3rd & short but he's stopped short and it's another punt.
So Patriots come again and start on their 32. Ridley gets six yards first up down the right before Lloyd catches on the same side for the new first down.
Ridley through the middle gains four, before bursting his way through two tackles to complete the yards on the right touchline.
Vereen gains 11 on first down and Patriots continue their progress.
Short pass to Lloyd gains three on the play and Vereen runs again powerfully to gain the seven needed.
Touchdown Patriots!
It's Ridley's turn again and he gains another four yards on first down, with a further two right of centre on second. On third he powered right through the Texans's D for yet another Patriots TD. Game well and truly over now at Texans 7-42 Patriots with the extra point.
Touchback from the Patriots kick and Texans will go from their 20.
After a penalty and new first down Tate is hit for a loss of two, then Keshawn Martin is dropped for four after taking the catch wide left. For some reason they run on 3rd & 16 and only gain five. It's a punt, caught fairly on the 10 by Patriots.
Mallett runs for five yards and Bolden makes up the rest for a first down.
Easy run from Bolden but there's a penalty against the offence for holding and instead it's 1st & 20. Two yards gained on the run and a fantastic interception gives the ball back to Texans. Not a great start for the young QB Mallett..
Texans struggle for yards and get to 3rd & 6, but on that play they make 19 yards after Yates's pass to Posey.
1st & Goal from Yates is incomplete and some superb blocking on the line stops Tate forcing his way through, Instead it's 3rd & short. And timeout Texans.
Touchdown Texans!
Not many celebrations as Yates runs the extra yard. The kick is good and we're at Texans 14-42 Patriots at the two-minute warning.
A good kick falls just short of the end zone and Patriots will start their drive from their nine.
Patriots letting the clock run down here.
Texans 14-42 Patriots
Utter domination fro Brady's Patriots and the Texans had no answer. They certainly didn't look like an 11-1 (now 11-2) team. That's all from me, thanks for joining Sports Mole for the action tonight!
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
