FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — 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."
A matchup of the top two scoring teams in the league was a mismatch from the outset. It took New England (10-3) only one possession to start its scoring barrage as the Patriots surpassed their average of 35.8 points per game.
“It needs to come together now, this is the perfect time for it," said Brady, whose wife, Gisele, gave birth to Vivian Lake last Wednesday.
“She is doing very well," Brady said. “It’s been a great week, a great way to end it."
So look out. That familiar sight is the Patriots, who already own the AFC East title, romping through December, looking like a Super Bowl team.
“We can’t predict the score but we know we can dominate games," said Devin McCourty, who had a first-quarter interception.
They often dominate late in the season; this was their 21st straight victory in the second half of the schedule.
Wes Welker’s 31-yard punt return and 25-yard reception — the 107th straight game he’s had a catch — led to Aaron Hernandez’s 7-yard score to start the onslaught as New England led 21-0 at halftime. The first score gave Brady 45 consecutive games with a TD pass, the third longest streak in NFL history.
—The Associated Press
