Pats work their way to familiar territory
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl. Again.
For the seventh time this century.
And for an NFL- record ninth time in the 51- season history of America’s high holy holiday of hype.
On a 3C night of occasional misty drizzle at Gillette Stadium, the Pats defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-17 Sunday in the AFC Championship Game.
The Patriots advance to face the NFC champion Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI on Sunday, Feb. 5 at Houston’s NRG Stadium. It sets up as a classic offensive shootout.
We’re al l so used to watching Brady quarterback at football’s highest level in big games, it seemed almost normal for him to have completed 19- of- 24 passes by halftime, for 222 yards, two scores and no interceptions ( a sparkling 133.0 passer rating).
He f i nished with 384 passing yards — breaking his own franchise playoff record — on 32- of- 42 completions, without interception.
It was the 19 th multitouchdown game of Brady’s post- s eason c areer, extending his NFL record, and the ninth time Brady has thrown three touchdown passes in a playoff game, tying his childhood hero Joe Montana’s NFL record. Not bad for a 39-year-old. Beyond Brady, the unlikely offensive hero for the Patriots was wide receiver Chris Hogan, signed as a restricted free agent in the off- season, after the Buffalo Bills declined to match New England’s reported threeyear, $12-million offer.
Hogan caught a pair of first- half touchdowns from Brady, the second on a nifty, perfectly executed “fleaflicker” on which running back Dion Lewis faked a line plunge, stopped, and flipped the ball back to Brady, who arced a beautiful deep pass to Hogan. He’d slipped past Pittsburgh free safety Mike Mitchell for the easy score.
Hogan kept on catching key passes in the second half. Before the end of the third quarter he broke the Patriots single- game postseason record for receiving yards, with 180, his final tote.
It was the first multipletouchdown game of Hogan’s four-year NFL career.
The Patriots defence played a significant role, too. Every first down by the Steelers seemed like an accomplishment. When the Patriots knocked out star Pittsburgh running back Le’ Veon Bell in the second quarter ( he returned for one possession before halftime but did not play in the second half ), New England’s chances for victory rose considerably.
In some games during Pittsburgh’s nine- game win streak since Nov. 20, Bell had been the predominant figure offensively.
The Patriots themselves have won nine s t raight games since Nov. 20, and improved to 16-2 on the season.