Incandescent Brady incinerates Steelers
The Tom Brady redemption tour is headed to the Super Bowl.
After beginning the 2016 season suspended for four games for his role in the deflategate scandal, the New England quarterback relentlessly carried the Patriots to an unprecedented ninth appearance in the title game, and his seventh.
Brady threw for a franchise playoff-best 384 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-17 rout of the helpless Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in New England’s sixth consecutive AFC Championship Game.
The Patriots, who have won nine in a row, are early 3-point favorites over the Atlanta Falcons in two weeks in Houston, seeking their fifth NFL title with Brady at quarterback and Bill Belichick as coach.
Belichick’s seventh Super Bowl appearance will be a record for a head coach.
Brady was under suspension for using deliberately deflated footballs in last season’s playoffs when New England (16-2) went 3-1 to open the schedule.
Since his return in Week 5, the only loss came at home to Seattle, and Brady, 39, had one of the best seasons of a Hall of Fame-caliber career.
“This is my motivation right here, all these fellas in front of me, these guys,” Brady said, pointing to his teammates. “The boys showed up to play today.”
Brady’s main weapon was Chris Hogan. The previously unheralded receiver found open spaces everywhere, catching nine balls for 180 yards and two touchdowns.
Top wideout Julian Edelman added eight receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown as Brady tied Joe Montana’s playoff record with nine three-TD passing performances.
Brady also had his 11th 300-yard postseason game to extend his NFL record, completing 32 of 42 throws.
“We won a lot of different ways under a lot of different circumstances,” Brady said.
“Mental toughness is what it is all about and this team has got it. We’ll see if we can write the perfect ending.”
The ending for Pittsburgh (13-6) was anything but perfect as its nine-match winning streak ended. It lost star running back Le’Veon Bell late in the first quarter to a groin injury.
“We’ve got to be capable of overcoming those things,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “Injuries and so forth are part of the game. The reality is we didn’t make enough plays in any of the three phases.”
Hogan’s second touchdown came on a flea-flicker and he easily beat safety Mike Mitchell to the corner.
Pittsburgh had drawn to 10-6 on DeAngelo Williams’ five-yard run to cap an 84-yard drive. Veteran Williams contributed on a 70-yard drive in the second quarter that appeared to be capped by Jesse James’ TD reception. But video review showed James down at the one. Chris Boswell connected for a 23-yard field goal.
The Steelers never threatened to get back into it.
LeGarrette Blount punctuated the Patriots’ romp with an 18-yard run on which he carried nearly the entire Pittsburgh defense with him. He took Brady’s handoff to scored from the one.