Brady leads Patriots past Broncos
NEW YORK — Tom Brady put an end to "Tebow-mania" by tossing six touchdowns in a record-smashing performance as the New England Patriots demolished the Denver Broncos 45-10 in NFL on Saturday to storm into the AFC Conference Championship.
The divisional showdown began with the spotlight on Denver's intriguing quarterback Tim Tebow but ended with it firmly focused on Brady and the Patriots, who await Sunday's winner between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens.
"It's all about winning," Brady told reporters. "You lose a few playoff games and it's a very bitter way to end the season, it sits on your mind for quite a long time.
"So for us to come out and play the way we did and have a very solid performance in the most important game of the year was very gratifying."
Brady provided Tebow with a quarterback masterclass, the twice Super Bowl most valuable player putting the game out of reach with a record-breaking opening half, setting a new mark with five touchdown passes, three of them to hulking tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Wes Welker, Deion Branch and Aaron Hernandez also caught touchdown throws as Brady equalled the NFL record for most touchdowns passes in a playoff game.
The mark is also shared by Oakland Raiders Daryle Lamonica (1969) and San Francisco 49ers Steve Young (1994).
The Broncos had reached the divisional clash in spectacular fashion, Tebow hitting Demaryius Thomas with an 80-yard touchdown pass on the first play of overtime to sink the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday but fell flat in frosty Foxboro.
Tebow, who had developed a reputation as a gridiron miracle worker and captured the imagination of the American public for an almost magical ability to pull out late wins, was out of tricks against the Patriots and completed nine passes for 136 yards.