Sports

SUPER PATS STILL PERFECT

NOW 18-0 WITH AFC TITLE WIN

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The Patriots looked far from perfect in yesterday’s AFC Championship game, but were good enough to dispatch the Chargers.

Now, they are one step away from immortality.

New England advanced to Super Bowl XLII with a 21-12 defeat of San Diego at Gillette Stadium yesterday. They became the first team in NFL history to be 18-0.

The Patriots won despite an uncharacteristic three interceptions from normally perfect Tom Brady. The Chargers, however, could not take advantage of Brady’s bad day, failing to find the end zone after each one. The Chargers’ only scores came from kicker Nate Kaeding, who booted four field goals.

The Super Bowl appearance will be the Patriots’ fourth this decade. They brought home the Lombardi Trophy in each of the other three appearances.

San Diego’s defense did an effective job against New England, holding it to 139 yards in the first half. Randy Moss was held without a catch until the middle of the third quarter. Similar to what Brady did against Jacksonville last week with the deep ball taken away, he began to pick apart the Chargers defense with short throws. Brady finished the day with 209 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-33 passing.

The Chargers offense was limited by injuries. All of their injured stars – Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates – started, but all were slowed. Tomlinson left the game after the Chargers’ first series because of an injured left knee with just 5 yards on two carries.

Gates, who had an injured toe, was invisible for most of the day, and Rivers, playing on a sprained right knee, made some awful throws that may have been because of his leg.

Now the Patriots move one game away from joining the 1972 Dolphins as the only teams in the Super Bowl era to finish perfect. The Pats had to play an extra two games, giving them a strong claim to being the greatest team ever.

Brady made his first mistake yesterday with 5:07 left in the first quarter. Quentin Jammer picked him off, setting up the Chargers at the Pats’ 40.

The Chargers offense settled for a field goal, something that would become a pattern.

Laurence Maroney put New England on the scoreboard 1:07 into the second quarter, completing a 10-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown. New England gave the Chargers a steady dose of Maroney, going to him 25 times for 122 yards.

The Chargers made it 7-6 with another Kaeding field goal nine plays later. With Tomlinson sidelined, San Diego turned to backups Michael Turner and Darren Sproles. The duo combined for 99 yards on 20 carries.

Rivers set up New England’s next score when he threw an ill-advised pass that was intercepted by Asante Samuel. Rivers felt the pressure from Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel, who threw his leg out, tripping Rivers as he fell.

New England went 24 yards in two plays, with Brady finding Jabar Gaffney for a 12-yard touchdown to make it 14-6.

The Chargers got the ball back with 1:46 left in the half on their own 35-yard line. Instead of running an effective hurry-up, though, San Diego took its time and settled for another field goal, entering the locker room trailing 14-9.

Brady threw his second interception of the day on the opening drive of the second half. Drayton Florence grabbed a tipped ball off Donte Stallworth’s hands.

The Chargers drew to within two points, 14-12, with another Kaeding field goal. San Diego failed to score at all off Brady’s next interception late in the third quarter.

New England got some breathing room 2:45 into the fourth quarter when Brady hit Wes Welker for a 6-yard strike, making it 21-12, and sending the Pats to Arizona for their date with destiny.