rob grokowski and jude eelman both on the practice field after two losses. patriots hoping for a win against the texans. alex corddry joins with more on this great news. alex? >>> yeah, foxboro has just been full of surprises in the span of 24 hours, rob grokowski was back on the practice field and today julian edelman returned. our very own pablo cortez got the shot of the day. the patriots number one receiver and the pats star tight end high fiving, pumped to be out there with teammates and coach belichick standing right there with them. now edelman back at practice breaking his left foot on november 15 against in the giants game and seeing him back out there so quickly certainly surprising and also encouraging for those that hope to see him back for the playoffs at least edelman was stretching, jogging, skipping and from what we could see he wasn't wearing a brace on his foot. but both edelman and gronk hoping to get back to game action as soon as possible . >>> it's always good to be out there with your teammates and staff out there and put the . >>> it

here is how it went down in houston with rob grokowski lineup. here we go. gronk back in the lineup after missing last woke's game sport sporting that brace on his right patriots second possession he looked as good as ever getting loose down field, tom brady hits him on the opposite sideline. gronk shaking free on a big 45 yard gain their set up the patriots deep in the red area. and there we were, three plays later, they cash in. brady finds his former, the former texan keyshawn martin for the easy two yards out, boom. patriots up 7-0 but brady paid the price on this one taking a serious hit from jj watt at the end of that play it. was a penalty. wouldn't be a patriots game we see it again tonight in the second quarter. legarret blount left with a score 10-6 his night was done with a hip injury but even without him the patriots offense kept clicking just before the half. brady hits who else? gronk from a yard out just an un unfair advantage on that one. patriots take a 17-6 lead in the okay locker room. pats kick the field goal but suffered a big loss loss

julian edelman back at practice a stay after rob grokowski made his appearance. the pats star stretching to the and greeting each other with a high five . >>> me and gronk got a high fiv fiving thick that brady just could never get that one time. >> reporter: jokes aside, it's it'sen ing to see edelman back at practice less than four weeks after breaking his foot . >>> we have a good staff in here so wasn't necessarily a surprise . >> reporter: many people were surprised to see him return toic toically. hopefully a good sign to see him back for the playoff at least . >>> doing it safely and smart and just trying to improve each day . >> reporter: the same goes for gronk on the patriots injury report he is list as question questionable for sunday night. >>> it feels good to be back just with my teammates. just mentally feels good to be back with them. other questions he has to talk to coach belichick. >>> grokowski didn't take any questions from reporters but we do know last week he posted a video on twitter saying he is going to return to game action only when he

. >>> his right knee wasn't a problem which meant rob grokowski could be a major pain for the texans instead . >>> he comes down with it. touchdown patriots! no decoy tonight . >>> he is a huge just influence on what we do offensively and he really toughed it out. i'm proud of him . >>> he has to be smart about it it. which we were as an organization myself. you know, just rehabbed really hard. every felt good so i was good to go . >> reporter: gronk caught four passes and a score in more importantly gave tom brady some much needed piece of mind . >>> offensive football is always trust an anticipation an certainly there is nobody that i trust more than gronk so he is just a great player . >>> so is houston's jj watt but the patriots neutralize his pass rubber . >>> i think they did a good job i give them a lot of credit i of the they coached better than us >> reporter: and pressure the quarterback better too keeping houston out of the end zone and snapping their own two game los losing streak. >>> we ned a win every week. that's what our goal is every week. focus on our opponent that

i "boston globe" report stating that rob grokowski is expected to play in top's game. that's going to give tom brady a major boost as the pats hope it games for the first time since 2002. >>> i always wish we had these guys out, everyone whether it's jewels or gronk but different guys deal with different things. it's part of football season. you still have to be mentally tough to overcome whatever . >> reporter: friday offering a glimmer of hope for brady getting his top two targets on the field . >>> i like to be bag on the field but doing it safely and smart and just trying to improve each day, you know? >>> just mentally feels good to be become with them. out on the practice feel and any other questions you have to talk to coach belichick. >> reporter: the only question is whether rob grokowski and julian edelman will be full play come layoff time. unlike recent weeks patriots will not be will only team on the field with a major injury concern. >>> we have to get ready for everybody of i don't think everybody is 100% this time of year. they will be out there and pla

. >>> this is rob grokowski, i want to wish you a merry christmas and happy holidays . >> anchor: the new england patriots wishing fans merry christmas and happy holidays. this video ask posted on the teal's facebook page. today rob grokowski and toll brady were feature in the video along with deaf on mccarty and jonathan freeney . >> anchor: didn't they get the day off too? >> anchor: i think they did so hopefully they are getting to spend time with their families like so many of you are hoping to get to do so as well an hope hopefully you got a chance to sure didn't feel like christmas this time of career . >> anchor: a little red and gone for christmas look great outside, still looks wonderful although i know that our good luck may be running out soon, bree, with this great weather . >> anchor: you know, it's interesting because i have seen a lot of tweets that day let's keep it this way forever and a lot of people saying where is the snow this we need the snow? new england in the wintertime, we really rely on snow for a lot of business in the area as well. it will come eventually.

of course hoping rob grokowski could be back in action after injury. 7's trey daerrly for news houston right now with the preview of that big game. hey there, tre. >> reporter: ian, new england getting ammunition back after being decimated by injuries. dante high tower and rob grokowski both listed as questionable so at the very least if they don't play at least they are both very close to a return. nonetheless, tom broady left the play with the hand he is dealt and that's going up against a playoff type challenge tomorrow night in houston. >>> always rushed we have these or gronk but different guys are dealing with different things so it's part of football season. i think you still have to be mentally tough to overcome whatever . >> reporter: friday offering a glimmer of hope for brady getting his top two targets back on the fee . >>> i like to be back as soon as i can put doing it safely and then smart and just trying to improve each day. >>> just mentally feels good to be back with them. out on the practice field and any other questions you just have to talk to coach belichick . >>>

. >> reporter: one day after rob grokowski returned to practice, julian edelman joining him on practice field today. practicing for the first time since breaking his left foot four weeks ago against the giants, 7's alex corddry has more from foxboro on brady's top two targets. >>> good to be out there . >> anchor: julian back at grokowski made his appearance stretching together and greeting each other with a high five. >>> me and gronk got a high fiv fiving thing that brady just could never get that one time . >> reporter: jokes aside, it's encouraging to see him back in practice less than four weeks after breaking his left foot . >>> been working hard and we have a good staff in here so it wasn't necessarily a surprise . >>> but many people were surprised to see him back so quickly. it's hopefully a good sign to see him back for the playoffs at least. >>> doing it safely and then smart and just trying to improve each day . >> anchor: the same goes for gronk. he is listed as questionable for sunday's game h houston . >>> it feels good to be back just with my teammates. just mentally fee

another high profile player missing today rob grokowski also absent because of a personal issue and is probable for sunday sunday's game. live in the newsroom, trey daerr 7 news . >> anchor: 7 news now turning to the path of destruction left behind by a teen-age driver in foxboro. he crashed into a home taking out a huge portion of it and incredibly no one was hurt . >>> tonight questions about what caused him to plus control. steve cooper is live in foxboro tonight. coop? >> anchor: so ryan police are still looking for answers trying to piece this whole thing together but look behind us you can see work crews are still at it right nowp that's not the front porch of this house. that's actually the living room that they are boarding up. that's all of the damage what was left behind here and tonight the homeowner is talking about his unusual wake up call. >>> i thought it was an explosion . >> anchor: it was a wake up call like no other. room of the home around 6:30 a.m a.m. jostling harry from his bed . >>> i was just getting up and i hadn't even gotten dressed yet. i looked out and the

quarterback tom brady and tighten rob grokowski. now gronk is listed as question questionable for sun's game but for brady there is a possibility he might not play. brady is listed as questionable for sunday's game. it's the first time he has been listed as questionable for a game since week six in 2014. this was actually the first practice brady has missed all season. now the globe is reporting he was out with an illness so we caught up with matthew slator after practice and i asked him if he plans to bring his quarterback some chicken noodle soup. he told me he will do whatever it takes to get him better but he is confident there is no may score cause for concern and against the titans this sunday. >>> i'm sure he will do what he needs to do and take care of himself and down on him be there on sunday so . >>> it's always strange when he is not out there but it's come up a time or two over the last several years and good day for jimmy to get some work and us to continue to get better but obviously we're optimistic that 12 will be o

rob grokowski back in action and he did not miss a beat. he looked great . >> anchor: houston had serious recommends when it came containing the big man with. more on 's monster night. let's go to joe amorsino live for us in the newsroom, joe? >>> these past two weeks have been desperate times for the patriots. a pair of blown leads leading to what rare two game losing streak but rob gronkowski's presence heals all wounds and with big the texans, the pats are okay. are you kidding me? did you see what took place yesterday. gronk wasting no time showing his right knee was just fine. getting loose on the patriots second possession for a big 45 yard gain that led to the game's first score all in all gronk grabbing four passes four 87 yards and a touchdown in a 27-6 patriots win and providing his quarterback with a measure of comfort that was missing the last week. >>> offensive football is always trust and anticipation, certainly nobody that i trust more than gronk so he is just a great player, a great teammate . >>> if felt good to be become

reporter: eights d stealing the spotlight from the texans celebrated defense in the return the rob grokowski made a world of difference on offense. the pats right back on top with gronk the star of the show . >>> did you know you would be playing the game tonight? >>> i mean, just i don't know, never really thought about it. >> anchor: he is laughing about his one week absence now but rob gronkowski's return is no joke for the rest of the nfl . >>> he is a huge just influence on what we do offensively and he really toughed it out so i'm proud of him. i had a big town down catch. he is obviously a big part of have him out there . >>> just felt good to be out there on the field. putting pads on for the first time if two weeks a looking into getting back into it at first but it felt good to be back out there playing football again, being out there with the teammates and having a great team win overall . >> anchor: a win that snapped a two game losing streak, punched their ticket to the post season and vaulted the pats become to the top of the afc. what a difference a week makes? >>> we understa

also of note rob grokowski both are out this sunday while danny amendola, patrick chung and dante high tower all join collins as being questionable. the bruins back on the ice tonight out in their western canada swing taking on calgary and old friend dougy hamilton for the first time in 2015. that's going to do it for sports >> anchor: really exciting day for red sox nation as we celebrate the new pitcher we'll be hearing more about him tonight on 7 news and also checking the weather looks like the weekend is just shaping up . >>> if you are looking for snow snow. you are not going to find it. it should be warm and my we'll check that out tonight. we'll be on 7 news at 10:00 on c cw 56 and then back here at 11:00. go red sox. doesn't that look beautiful. see you late pholiday season's just like football season... you got your big games... ...and regular games. get it all at a great price... season is won. everything in one place. my stop & shop. mornings. wonderful, crazy mornings. we figure you probably don't have time to wait on hold. we're hard at work, building new apps like this o

. >> anchor: for the first time in almost a month the patriots getting julian edelman and rob grokowski together on the practice field new england start starting to inch closer to a healthy roster as we get closer to kickoff on sunday night. another day, another high five, this time between gronk and ed e eman. julian back a month after break breaking a bone in his foot listed aslied friday. edelman officially ruled out for week 14. gronk also limited in his one of 8 patriots listed as question questionable for houston. both players speaking to the media today. >>> it's always good to be out there with your teammates. the staff out there and put the cletes on and run around . >>> you have a time line on when you would like to be back? >>> i like to be back as soon as i can but doing it safely and then smart and just trying to improve each day, you know? >>> it feels good to be back just mentally feels good to be back with them. out on the practice field and any other questions you have to talk to coach belichick. >> anchor: patriots and texas kick it off sunday night here on 7 nbc and w

this time it's rob grokowski and julian el eman. julian back a month after break breaking a bone in his foot listed as limited friday. edelman finally ruled out for week 14. gronk also limited and one of 8 patriots listed as questionable for the game against houston. the bruins at the garden hosting the panthers in some matinee hockey. that's it for sports. have a great day. >> anchor: next up on 7 news today in new england former alum spreading holiday cheer. find out what former elf will ferrell was doing around the >> anchor: topping the buzz, will ferrell taking to the streets of new york city spreading his christmas cheer. teaming up with comedian billy a aikner surprising people with bizarre random questions. >>> what's a better christmas movie, elf or scrooge? >>> elf! >>> no scrooge! >> anchor: some of the people love the impromptu game. others were clearly terrified. look at the woman jump when the comedians went running up to them around new york city. grown men in onies pajamas. why not? so nbc weather man willard scott y