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The Houston Texans visit the New England Patriots on Sunday with a trip to the AFC Championship on the line. Both teams should be near full strength on the injury front in a rematch of a Week 14 tilt that saw the Patriots come away with an easy victory in Foxboro.
This game will also be in Foxboro, due in large part to New England's 42-14 win over the Texans that sent Houston in a late-season slide. The Texans dropped three out of their final four games, costing the team not only home-field advantage, but a bye in the first round. Houston was able to recover by taking down the Cincinnati Bengals in last week's Wild Card game to set up this week's matchup.
New England won their last two games over the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Miami Dolphins to secure a playoff bye. The weather on Sunday will be favorable to Texans, who are used to playing in a dome. Unseasonably warm temperatures are expected throughout the Northeast.
Game time, TV schedule: 3:30 p.m. CT, CBS
Spread: New England favored by 9.5.