ATLANTA -- Superstar receiver Julio Jones stood on the sideline with his helmet off for most of the second half. The surprising Atlanta Falcons didn't need him.

Devonta Freeman scored three touchdowns for a second straight game, fueling the Falcons' 48-21 rout of the Houston Texans on Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

Atlanta is 4-0 for the first time since 2012. That season, the Falcons got off to an 8-0 start and went on to host the NFC Championship Game. They are set up to have a similar start this season. Their next six opponents -- Washington, New Orleans, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, San Francisco and Indianapolis -- all entered Sunday with a losing record.

The Texans (1-3) turned it over four times and weren't in the game for long.

The Falcons took control early and put the game to bed by halftime. Freeman scored on two bursts up the middle; Desmond Trufant returned an Arian Foster fumble 24 yards for a touchdown, and quarterback Matt Ryan hooked up with Leonard Hankerson on a quick-hitting 3-yard touchdown that put Atlanta up 28-0 at halftime.

Ryan completed 19 of 26 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown, extending his streak of 250-plus-yard passing games to 11. Jones, who was named offensive players of the month in September, caught four passes for a season-low 38 yards, in less than three quarters of action.

Freeman finished with 68 yards on 14 carries and the two touchdowns, both of which came on runs right through the gut of Houston defense.

Foster was in the Texans' lineup for the first time this season, after suffering a groin injury in August. Even with Foster, the Texans were held to minus-two yards rushing in the first half. Foster finished with eight yards on 10 carries.

Houston quarterback Ryan Mallett started, but was ineffective and was eventually replaced by Brian Hoyer late in the third quarter.

Atlanta defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux intercepted a deflected Mallett pass to end the Texans' first drive. Mallett finished 12 of 27 for 150 yards and no touchdowns. Hoyer led three scoring drives in the fourth quarter, hooking up with tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz and Cecil Shorts on touchdowns and setting up Chris Polk's short touchdown run with a 42-yard completion to Shorts. It was way too little and much too late.

The Falcons took control early and put the game to bed by halftime. Freeman scored on two bursts up the middle, Desmond Trufant returned a Foster fumble 24 yards for a touchdown, and Ryan hooked up with Leonard Hankerson on a quick-hitting 3-yard touchdown that put Atlanta up 28-0 at halftime.

Freeman scored his third touchdown of the game on a six-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, and rookie Terron Ward tacked on an eight-yard touchdown run that gave the Falcons a 42-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

NOTES: Falcons WR Julio Jones was named offensive player of the month for September. ... Houston WR Nate Washington injured his hamstring in the first half and did not return. ... Falcons LB Justin Durant injured his elbow in the first half and did not return. ... Houston DE J.J. Watt finished with three tackles and one of the Texans' two hits on Atlanta QB Matt Ryan. ... Atlanta RB Terron Ward scored his first career touchdown on an eight-yard run late in the third quarter. ... Atlanta LB Nate Stupar returned a fumble 84 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game. ... Houston receiver DeAndre Hopkins finished with nine catches for 157 yards. ... Reported attendance was 69,904.