Howard also made the other goal as the League One leaders crushed Southend United.
The Sky TV cameras came to Roots Hall hoping to see an upset but the game was over after just 15 minutes.
Howard grabbed the Hatters' first goal in the 12th minute when he bundled the ball home from three yards.
Shrimpers keeper Bart Griemink was at fault as he should have come off his line to collect the ball after Ahmet Brkovic's deflected shot had looped high in the air.
The home side's defensive problems were again highlighted a few minutes later when Luton went 2-0 up.
Howard was left unmarked 12 yards out and scored his tenth goal of the season when he side-footed a Rowan Vine cross past Griemink.
Brkovic scored Luton's third in the 33rd minute when he ran on to a Howard pass and through a static Southend defence before taking the ball round the keeper and calmly finishing.
It became a question of how many Luton would score and Brkovic nearly got his second goal of the evening immediately the restart when his header flew just over the bar.
Southend almost scored when Luton keeper Dino Seremet missed a Mark Gower corner but Luton captain Chris Coyne hacked the ball to safety.
But United, who had won their previous six home games, never looked like causing a shock.
A free header from their central defender, Adam Barrett, summed up their night when the chance went straight to the keeper.
That was one of the few opportunities the Essex side managed to create even though they ended the match with three strikers on the pitch.