HOUSTON — The NFL’s next irresistible force/immovable object experiment will come when the Texans, who are unbeaten in their six road games, face the Patriots, who have won their last 19 December home dates over the past decade. One of those triumphs was a 40-7 beatdown of Houston in 2006 when the hosts ran up a 27-0 halftime lead and answered the Texans’ only touchdown with a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Ellis Hobbs.

A week later, Houston stunned Indianapolis with a last-play field goal, the Colts’ final loss in their Super Bowl season.