The Texans notched a signature victory by knocking off the Patriots 28-22 on "Sunday Night Football."
Led by a strong defensive performance and stellar play from quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Texans finally ended their losing streak against the reigning Super Bowl champions.
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Houston had been unable to knock off the AFC powerhouse for the past decade; it last defeated Tom Brady and New England in Week 17 of the 2009 season. The Texans ended the eight-game drought (including the playoffs) in impressive fashion Sunday night, with four passing touchdowns (three by Watson, who caught the other from DeAndre Hopkins on a wild play) against a Patriots defense that had allowed four passing touchdowns all season.
VIDEO: Patriots-Texans highlights
New England opened the scoring with a Kai Forbath field goal on its opening drive, but Houston was quick to answer. Watson logged a pair of touchdown throws on consecutive drives while the Houston defense frustrated Brady into a flurry of incompletions and pressures. Brady finished the first half with 7-of-19 passing for 82 yards and an interception.
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Brady settled in as the game progressed and finally energized a Patriots team that didn't look like the one-loss division leader that it was coming into the night. Still, New England (10-2) was unable to provide much drama until Julian Edelman caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Brady with 55 seconds remaining to cut the Texans' lead to six. The Patriots failed to recover the ensuing onside kick, however.
The Texans (8-4) remain alone atop the AFC South standings with the win, one game ahead of the Titans, while the Ravens overtake the Patriots for the AFC's No. 1 seed.
Sporting News tracked live updates and highlights of Patriots vs. Texans.
Patriots vs. Texans score
| 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F | |
| Patriots | 3 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 22 |
| Texans | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
Patriots vs. Texans scoring plays
First quarter
7:07 — Kai Forbath 23-yard field goal (Patriots 3-0)
0:38 — Duke Johnson 14-yard reception from Deshaun Watson (Texans 7-3)
Second quarter
6:26 — Darren Fells 13-yard reception from Deshaun Watson (Texans 14-3)
Third quarter
5:49 — Kenny Stills 35-yard reception from Deshaun Watson (Texans 21-3)
0:17 — James White 12-yard reception from Tom Brady (Texans 21-9)
Fourth quarter
9:58 — Deshaun Watson 6-yard reception from DeAndre Hopkins (Texans 28-9)
3:49 — James White 11-yard reception from Tom Brady (Texans 28-15)
0:55 — Julian Edelman 20-yard reception from Tom Brady (Texans 28-22)
Patriots vs. Texans updates, highlights
FINAL
Texans — 28
Patriots — 22
(All times Eastern)
11:35 p.m.: Forbath's onside kick gets the ideal bounce and is nearly secured by Brandon Bolden but goes out of bounds. Houston will have possession and will kneel it out.
11:32 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, PATRIOTS. Brady slings it to Edelman for a 20-yard touchdown grab with 50 seconds to play. Texans 28, Patriots 22.
11:26 p.m.: Texans run twice and then toss a quick screen to Hopkins and will be facing a fourth down from the 43. Patriots use their final timeout with 2:44 to go.
11:23 p.m.: The Patriots onside kick is recovered by the Texans at the opposing 42 with 3:41 remaining.
11:20 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, PATRIOTS. Brady moves up in the pocket and slings it to White for an 11-yard touchdown, capping a 13-play drive. Two-point attempt is incomplete and no good. Texans 28, Patriots 15.
11:15 p.m.: Brady completes it to Dorsett for a first down on fourth-and-6 to the Texans 11. Houston will challenge the spot of the ball.
11:07 p.m.: New England is up to midfield after Houston is called for pass interference.
10:57 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, TEXANS. Houston runs an iteration of the triple option which results in Hopkins pitching to Watson who lunges to the pylon for the 6-yard touchdown. Texans 28, Patriots 9.
10:53 p.m.: DeAndre Hopkins makes the catch and is taken down at the New England 43 for the first down. Texans moving again.
End of third quarter: Texans 21, Patriots 9
10:43 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, PATRIOTS. On third-and-10, Brady hits White in the flat and he jogs into the end zone for an easy score. Extra-point attempt after a delay of game is no good. Texans 21, Patriots 9.
10:39 p.m.: Patriots are set back for a first-and-30 but Edelman is left wide open for a 44-yard gain. Just outside the red zone now.
10:35 p.m.: Patriots convert a third-and-17 with a 23-yard gain from Ben Watson. New England at midfield.
10:28 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, TEXANS. On the ensuing play, Watson remains patient in the pocket and throws a dime to Stills in the end zone for the score. Texans 21, Patriots 3.
10:24 p.m.: Watson throws it on target to Will Fuller for a 35-yard touchdown but after review it is called incomplete. Fuller wasn't able to maintain possession throughout the process of the catch.
10:22 p.m.: Kenny Stills makes a nice catch to get the Texans into opposing territory at the 35.
10:18 p.m.: Patriots run a play-action pass on fourth-and-short and the pass is dropped by Mohamed Sanu. Turnover on downs as the New England offense continues to stumble.
10:15 p.m.: After a third-down conversion, James White rips off a 32-yard rush to get to midfield.
10:09 p.m.: Johnson is stopped just short of the first down on a third-and-19 screen pass, forcing the punt back to Brady and the Patriots.
10:03 p.m.: Roby comes firing through the line on third down and Brady has to duck away from the hit. Ball back to the Texans.
10:01 p.m.: Brady's pass on second down is interception again by Bradley Roby but is called back by a defensive holding by Roby. Patriots are now at the 30.
10 p.m.: Patriots will get the second half started after the touchback.
Halftime: Texans 14, Patriots 3
Stats
First downs: Patriots 10, Texans 8
Third downs: Texans 3-6, Patriots 4-9
Total yards: Patriots 146, Texans 145
Rushing yards: Patriots 68, Texans 30
Passing yards: Texans 115, Patriots 78
Penalties: Patriots 1-10, Texans 4-52
Turnovers: Texans 0, Patriots 1
9:44 p.m.: New England reaches the 39 but sets up to punt with 0:26 on the clock. Brady finishes the half 7-of-19.
9:40 p.m.: Patriots are across midfield with a couple completions with 48 seconds to go.
9:30 p.m.: Texans go three-and-out and the Patriots use their first timeout with 1:10 remaining until halftime.
9:23 p.m.: Brady is unable to shake free from the Texans pass rush and goes down at the Patriots 48. New England has to punt after crossing midfield.
9:14 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, TEXANS. Watson runs a play-fake and then dumps it off to Darren Fells for an easy 13-yard touchdown completion. Texans 14, Patriots 3.
9:12 p.m.: Watson completes it to Jordan Akins who breaks a tackle and gets to the Patriots 36 for a 19-yard gain.
9:02 p.m.: The Patriots are unable to get much going on their next drive and have to punt after five plays.
End of first quarter: Texans 7, Patriots 3
8:51 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, TEXANS. Watson moves out of the pocket on third down and hits Duke Johnson underneath, who scampers into the end zone for an untouched score. Texans 7, Patriots 3.
8:49 p.m.: Tom Brady's third-down pass attempt is jumped and picked off by Bradley Roby and taken to the Patriots 6. An unsportsmanlike penalty costs the Texans 15 yards, though, after Roby took off his helmet.
8:44 p.m.: Watson goes down on a sack by Kyle Van Noy to kill what looked like a promising drive. Texans will punt again.
8:36 p.m.: FIELD GOAL, PATRIOTS. New Patriots kicker Kai Forbath hits a 23-yard field goal to wrap a 14-play drive. New England established the run on its first drive, handing it off six times to Sony Michel. Patriots 3, Texans 0.
8:30 p.m.: Julian Edelman has a pair of first-down grabs to place the Patriots in Texans territory at the Houston 42.
8:26 p.m.: Dont'a Hightower forces pressure on Watson on a third-down pass attempt and the Texans quickly go three-and-out on the game's opening drive.
8:23 p.m.: The Patriots kick off and we are underway from NRG Stadium. Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense will set up from their own 25.