After two consecutive losses, the chance that New England goes on a three-game losing streak is highly unlikely (Getty)
Is it the Bill O’Brien bowl? Or how about the Brian Hoyer bowl?
Vince Wilfork bowl?
As they say in Houston: If you can’t beat em, sign em.
A number of New England Patriots face off against their former team tonight, when New England make their first trip to Houston since 2013. New England has won three straight over the Texans, but are reeling after losing back-to-back games.
The Patriots looked sloppy on offense last week, and were clearly missing Rob Gronkowski. Gronk is expected to return from a knee injury tonight, but just how health and productive he will be is unclear.
The Texans are also dealing with an injury to their super-athletic white guy. J.J. Watt broke his hand in practice, and he will play with it wrapped up. Watt’s five-game sack strak was broken last week in a loss to Buffalo. He’s never missed a game in his career.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Eastern and will be broadcast on NBC. If you can’t get to a TV, the game can be streamed live online or on a tablet via NBC Sports Live Extra, while there are some other potential options.
Here’s a complete rundown on how to watch online and on mobile:
Watch Patriots vs. Texans Online
J.J. Watt has been having an incredible season, but will have to add to his 13.5 sacks with a broken hand. (Getty)
Viewers can watch NBC’s coverage of the game online for free via NBC Sports Live Extra. You will need a username and password — either yours or someone else’s — for a cable subscription to authenticate the stream. The site’s frequently asked questions page has a rundown of technical requirements and other information.
For viewers outside the United States and Mexico, NFL Game Pass International includes every game live online for a fee. The fee depends on country, and you can visit the website for more details.
For fans in the United States, Mexico and surrounding territories, NFL Game Pass Domestic allows replays of games to be watched on demand for a fee of $99.99 for the season. No live games are available under this service, and this game will be available to watch after its completion.
Watch Patriots vs. Texans on Mobile
Gronk will dress tonight, but it’s unknown how active he will actually be. (Getty)
For Sunday Night Football games, only Verizon users can watch on their phone. They can do so via the NFL Mobile app, which can be downloaded for free from the Apple Store, Microsoft Store or Google Play Store.
There are others way to watch on tablets or other connected devices, however.
Viewers can watch the game via the NBC Sports Live Extra App, which you can download in the App Store or the Google Play Store. As is the case with desktop, you will need a username and password — either yours or someone else’s — for a cable subscription to authenticate the stream.
International viewers with a subscription to NFL Game Pass can also watch the game on the NFL Mobile app, while fans in the United States and surrounding territories with a subscription can watch the game on demand after its completion.