A lot to learn

The Houston Texans entered Monday night's game at New England with an 11-1 record, the inside track to the top seed in the AFC, and a team that people said could take down the Patriots in the AFC race this season. They left beaten and humbled, losing 42-14 to the playoff veterans from the Northeast. And as one-sided as the score sounds, the matchup of QBs was an even bigger blowout. Tom Brady (No. 12), making a last-month run at an MVP, threw for 296 and four TDs. Matt Schaub (No. 8) had 232 yards in the air, but was held without a TD while throwing an INT. And now the Pats trail the Texans by only a game in the AFC, and hold the tiebreaker.