Game info: Patriots vs. Texans

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GAME TIME: 8:30 p.m. EST

TV NETWORK: ESPN (can also be seen in Boston on ABC affiliate Channel 5, WCVB-TV)

TV ANNOUNCERS: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters

RADIO NETWORK: Anchored by WBZ-FM (98.5 The Sports Hub)

RADIO ANNOUNCERS: Gil Santos and Scott Zolak

ALL-TIME SERIES BETWEEN THE TEAMS: Patriots lead, 2-1

LAST MEETING: Texans 34, Patriots 27 on Jan. 3, 2010 at Reliant Stadium

Former offensive tackle Matt Light, who announced his retirement from the Patriots on May 7, 2012, closing an 11-year career in which he was one of the most productive players in the teams history, will be honored at halftime.

The are 21-22 all-time on Monday Night Football, including 14-5 under coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots are 10-8 in home Monday Night Football games and 11-14 on the road.

QB Tom Brady is 12-4 record on Monday Night Football. He has thrown three or more touchdowns in a Monday Night game eight times, including three four-touchdown performances, and has thrown four touchdowns in two of his last three Monday Night games.

The Patriots have won 12 consecutive regular-season December games, a streak that began with a win over the Panthers on Dec. 13, 2009. The Patriots are the fourth team in NFL history to win 12 consecutive regular-season games played in December. The Chargers hold the record, posting 18 consecutive regular-season wins in December from 2006-2009. The Patriots also had 12 straight December wins from 2006-08.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Bill Belichick (201) needs one more win to break a tie with Dan Reeves as the seventh-winningest NFL coach of all time.

With one touchdown pass against the Texans, Tom Brady will extend his streak to 45 straight games with at least one touchdown pass and continue his third-longest streak all time, behind Drew Brees (54) and Johnny Unitas (47).

Brady has 52 career 300-yard games in the regular season. He needs one more to break a tie with Kurt Warner for fifth place all time.

Brady (3,537) needs 463 passing yards to reach 4,000 yards for the fifth time and joinPeyton Manning (11),Dan Marino (6), Drew Brees (6) and Brett Favre (6) as the only players to have at least five seasons with 4,000 passing yards.

Stephen Gostkowski (7-of-10 from 50 or more yards) needs one more 50-yard field goal to tie Adam Vinatieri (8-of-17) for most 50-yard field goals in Patriots history. Gostkowski has two 50-yarders so far in 2012 and can become the first Patriots player with three 50-yard field goals in a single season.

Rob Ninkovich has a team-leading five forced fumbles, tying Mike Vrabel (2007) for the most forced fumbles for a Patriots player within the last 20 years.

If Stevan Ridley (9) gets one more touchdown, it will be the 13th time in Patriots history that a running back finished a season with 10 or more rushing touchdowns.

Ridley (9) and Rob Gronkowski (10) can both reach 10 touchdowns. It will be the third straight seasons and the fifth time in team history that the Patriots have had two players finish with 10 or more touchdowns in a season.

Wes Welker (17) needs one more 10-plus catch game to break a tie with Jerry Rice for the most 10-catch games in NFL history.

Welker (92) needs 8 receptions to become the first player in NFL history with five 100-catch seasons.

With one more victory the Patriots will secure their 10th straight season with at least 10 wins.

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