Brady's 6 TD passes snuff Broncos' run

FOXBORO, Mass. -- The Patriots waited a year for the chance to put their numbing AFC divisional playoff loss to the Jets behind them, something that would be possible only if they knocked off the Tim Tebow Express.

Consider it derailed.

Tom Brady carved up Denver's defense with surgical precision, tying an NFL playoff record with six touchdown passes -- five in the first half -- and establishing a Patriots single-game record. Brady's off-the-charts play, coupled with the struggles of Tebow and the Broncos' offense, sent the top-seeded Patriots to an easy 45-10 victory over fourth-seeded Denver at Gillette Stadium Saturday night, New England's first playoff win since 2008.

The Patriots will host the winner of Sunday's game between the No. 2 Ravens and No. 3 Texans in the AFC Championship Game at 3 p.m. next Sunday.

"This is what it's all about," wide receiver Wes Welker said. "This is what you play for, this is what you work for and it's been a long time since we've been in this position. You want to make the most of it and not think about what could have been or if I'd done this or done that."

Brady threw three touchdown passes to tight end Rob Gronkowski, who tied the NFL single-game mark for receiving touchdowns in a postseason game and set a franchise record in the process. Gronkowski had 10 catches for 145 yards.

Brady also tossed touchdown passes to Welker, Deion Branch and tight end Aaron Hernandez, who even lined up as a running back and ran five times for 61 yards. Brady completed 26 of 34 passes for a franchise-playoff-record 363 yards with one interception, engineering an offense that racked up 31 first downs and 509 total yards.

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"It's all about winning," said Brady, who even had a 48-yard punt. "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. For us to come out and play the way we did, have a very solid performance in the most important game of the year, is very gratifying. Now we've got eight days until the biggest game of the year.

"That's a good team, a good defense. To go out there and play the way we did . . . it's a fun day."

As for Tebow, his magic finally ran out. He connected on only 3 of 10 attempts in the first half, finishing 9-for-26 for 136 yards. He was sacked five times and lost a fumble. Tebow carried the ball five times for 13 yards but looked nothing like the guy who led the Broncos to a scintillating overtime victory over the Steelers a week earlier.

New England came out with a purpose, quickly putting the Broncos back on their heels. Hernandez's 43-yard run on the game's fourth play gave the Patriots the ball at Denver's 7, and Brady hit Welker for a 7-yard touchdown on the next play to cap a five-play, 80-yard drive for a 7-0 lead 1:51 into the game.

That hookup gave Brady a touchdown pass in his 18th straight postseason game, the second-longest streak behind Brett Favre's mark of 20.

Denver turned the ball over on its first possession, not the kind of start the Broncos were looking for, given their conservative nature on offense. Tebow was strip-sacked from behind by Rob Ninkovich and Brandon Spikes recovered at the Patriots' 41, handing the ball over to Brady in plus territory.

Brady went to work, hitting Gronkowski for a 16-yard gain five plays later to get the ball into the red zone. The two also connected on a beautiful 10-yard pass to punctuate New England's seven-play, 59-yard drive, giving the Patriots a 14-0 cushion with 6:42 left in the first quarter.

"That was a good play, just turning the momentum in our favor to get that 14-0 [lead],'' Ninkovich said. "It's great whenever you can get a sack-fumble and get the recovery, it's a good play all the way around. So I was happy that I was able to do that and help the team."

New England threatened to blow the game open in the first quarter until Brady showed his mortal side. On first-and-10 at the Patriots' 25, he uncorked a pass down the middle intended for Gronkowski, but the Broncos' Quinton Carter intercepted it and returned it 17 yards to the Patriots' 24. Willis McGahee's 5-yard run on first-and-goal four plays later finally put the Broncos on the board and likely had them thinking they were back in it.

But they weren't.

Brady hit Gronkowski for a 12-yard score, hurled a 61-yard bomb to Branch and connected with Gronkowski on a 3-yard touchdown strike five seconds before the half, turning a seven-point game into a 35-7 laugher and sending the Patriots on their way to their first AFC title game in four seasons.

"We had good execution by a lot of guys offensively tonight," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "Certainly a lot better than the last couple of playoff games we've had here.

"I'm really happy for the players,'' he added. "I'm really excited for them. They deserved it. They've worked hard, they've put up with me, so they deserve this.''