Tom Brady celebrated with his teammates Ryan Wendell and Logan Mankins after he threw a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter. The quarterback finished the day with 344 yards and three touchdown passes.

There was nothing Arian Foster could do but look on as his the clock ticked down to a loss for his team. He finished the game with 90 rusing yards and a touchdown.

As the game began to wind down, news reports started coming in the Rob Gronkowski had re-injured his arm early in the contest and would miss the remaninder of the playoffs.

Minutes after scoring a dramatic touchdown, Texans wide receiver DeVier Posey was taken off the field on a cart after suffering an injury.

Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub, left, sat on the bench with back up quarterback T.J. Yates after throwing an interception pass during the second half. With six minutes left in the game, the Texans needed three scores to catch up.

In the fourth quarter Tom Brady hit the mark to make his fifth career plus-300 yard postseason game.

Texans defensive end J.J. Watt sat on the sidelines during the second half.

Aqib Talib was leading the Patriots in tackles deep into the fourth quarter.

Shane Vereen tied a franchise record for touchdowns in a playoff game when he scored his third. He tied Curtis Martin and Rob Gronkowski.

Things weren’t looking good for the Texans early in the fourth quarter. Houston lost the ball after failing to convert on fourth down. And on the next play Tom Brady tossed a 33-yard touchdown pass to Shane Vereen for his third score of the game.

Aaron Hernandez reacted after a catch. He had 85 yards by the end of the third quarter.

Stevan Ridley scored a touchdown in the third quarter. He had 68 yards rushing at the end of the third quarter.

Defensive end Rob Ninkovich ran with the ball after catching his first post season interception on a pass intended for Texans fullback James Casey during the second half.

Chandler Jones, shown here pursuing Matt Schaub, left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury.

Brandon Lloyd, playing in the first playoff game of his 10-year career brought the score to Patriots 31, Texans 13 with his drive-ending touchdown reception.

After losing momentum at the end of the first half, the Patriots came right back with a 69-yard drive to start the third quarter which Stevan Ridley ended with a rushing touchdown.

Shayne Graham 55-yard field goal to end the first half was the longest of his career and in Gillette’s post season history.

The Texans had a strong finish to the first half scoring 10 points in the final minute and a half of play to head into halftime with score Patriots 17, Texans 13.

With a 47-yard reception late in the second quarter, Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker set the franchise record for postseason receptions with 59 (in eight games). Troy Brown held the previous record with 58 receptions, but it took him 20 games to reach that mark.

Arian Foster didn’t have much of a first quarter, but the Texan ramped it up in the second quarter, including a touchdown capping drive. He finished the half with 57 yards.

Head coach Bill Belichick had surprises to handle in the first half, including injuries to Rob Gronkowski and Danny Woodhead.

Shane Vereen had an impressive first half, seemingly filling the void of an injured Danny Woodhead, scoring two touchdowns.

Tom Brady looked down field as he prepares to pass during the first quarter. He was sacked once, but then seemed to get into a rhythm, leading the team’s first touchdown ending drive. By the end of the first quarter he was 8 for 11 and had passed for 93 yards.

Texans defensive end J.J. Watt and Brooks Reed sacked New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady during the first half.

Wide receiver Wes Welker was tackled by Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson during the first quarter. He caught for 30 yards in the first quarter.

Texans wide receiver Keshawn Martin got tackled by New England Patriots cornerback Marquice Cole.

The Texans started the game with a bang as free safety Danieal Manning ran for a 94-yard kickoff return during the first play. The Patriots chased him down and held Houston to a field goal.

Matt Schaub looked to pass as New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones rushed during the first half.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was even more animated than usual as he came onto the field for pre-game warmups and howled to the fans in the south end zone. Patriots host the Houston Texans in the NFL Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium.

Tom Brady talked with head coach Bill Belichick before the game against the Texans. “We worked all year, since the end of last season, to get to back to this point,” Belichick said earlier this week. “This is really what it’s all for—all the team planning, the OTAs, the mini-camps, the meetings, the walkthroughs, the preseason games, the practices, the regular season—it’s all for this.”

Tight end Rob Gronkowski warmed up before the game against the Texans. Gronkowsi missed the regular season matchup against Houston.

New England Patriots wide receiver Brandon Lloyd warmed up. Lloyd had89 yards and a touchdown in Week 14 against the Texans.

Tom Brady warmed up. The last time these two teams faced, Brady threw four touchdowns.

The Patriots and Texans prepared for their showdown in their divisional playoff game. New England defensive end Chandler Jones, who had two tackles against Houston in Week 14, warmed up before the post-season game.

Houston Texans outside linebacker Brooks Reed stretched before the game against the New England.

Houston running back Justin Forsett warmed up at Gillette. He had three carries for seven yards in Week 14 against the Patriots.

Texans running back Arian Foster warmed up before the game. He was held to just 45 yards in the regular season matchup with New England.

Houston quarterback Matt Schaub warmed before the game. He had 232 yards against the Patriots in the regular season blowout, which New England won 42-14.

Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak waits for the start of an AFC divisional playoff NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

FOXBORO, MA—JANUARY 13: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots talks with his team during the 2013 AFC Divisional Playoffs game against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2013 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt sits on the sidelines during the second half of an AFC divisional playoff NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)