FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to unearth the Patriots’ secret formula for success.

No, it’s not superstar quarterback Tom Brady or legendary head coach Bill Belichick.

Dion Lewis. The 5-foot-8, 195-pound do-everything Patriots running back is what drives this team.

If you don’t think so, consider this: Dating back to last season, the Patriots are 15-0 in games Lewis plays.

Fortunately for them, he played in Saturday night’s 34-16 AFC divisional playoff win over the Texans, outscoring the Texans 18-16 by himself with three touchdowns.

Lewis, who scored on a 13-yard receiving touchdown, a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a 1-yard rushing touchdown, became the first player in NFL history to score rushing, receiving and kickoff return touchdowns in a playoff game.

Rookie Tyreek Hill, whose Chiefs play the Steelers on Sunday night for the right to face the Patriots in next week’s AFC Championship, accomplished the feat during the regular season. But before that, the last player to do so in a game was Gale Sayers in 1965.

That Lewis was as active in the game was a bit of kismet for the Patriots because his role was increased because of LeGarrette Blount, their leading rusher, having been slowed by an illness all week leading up to the game.

What makes Lewis’ story even better is that he tore his left ACL in November 2015 and missed last year’s postseason. He returned to the lineup off the physically unable to perform list Nov. 20

“That kickoff return was incredible,’’ Brady said.

All of Lewis’ accomplishments, however, were tempered by a kickoff he fumbled away in the first half, handing the Texans their only touchdown of the game.

Asked what he will think about most when he lays his head on the pillow after the game, Lewis didn’t hesitate, saying: “The fumble for sure.”

“The touchdowns, they’re nice and they helped my team win, but I focus on the negative, because those things hurt our team,” he said. “They could have prevented us from getting a win. It happened. I forgot about it as soon as it happened, but now it hits you a little harder.”

Patriots receiver Julian Edelman called Lewis a “little jitterbug,” adding, “He’s been a phenomenal football player and a great addition to our team. It’s great to have him back there.”

When Edelman was reminded by a reporter of the Patriots’ perfect record with Lewis in the lineup, he said, “Hey, buddy, knock on wood here now.”

Former Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork, who has played the last two of his 13 NFL seasons with the Texans, trotted off the Gillette Stadium field to cheers after the game. Minutes later, he told reporters, “I think I’ve played my last NFL football game.”

In a rare occurrence, three Patriots defensive backs had interceptions in Saturday’s game, and all three played their college football at Rutgers. Cornerback Logan Ryan had one and so did safety Devin McCourty before backup safety Duron Harmon got one late in the game.

“On the sideline, I told them, ‘I’m going to get one, I’m going to finish it off,’ and it happened,” Harmon said.