Brady's bunch march on

Pats remain perfect after being given stern test by Jaguars

Last updated: 13th January 2008

Tom Brady New England Patriots quarterback

Brady: Impressive again

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The New England Patriots are through to the AFC championship game after a 31-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Foxboro Stadium.

Quarterback Tom Brady led the way for the undefeated Patriots, throwing three touchdown passes to move to 7-0 at home in the play-offs.

The new NFL MVP completed 26-of-28 passes for 260 yards and no interceptions, earning him praise from his coach, Bill Bellichick.

"He's been a great quarterback for us and his whole career here he's been great in big games and outstanding tonight," he said.

"I thought he managed the team well. Of course, he threw the ball well."

Support

Running back Laurence Maroney supported Brady with 122 yards and a touchdown for the Pats, who matched the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only NFL team to go 17-0 in a season.

The Jaguars certainly made them work for their win, matching them point-for-point in the first half before falling away in the second.

Quarterback David Garrard - who completed 22-of-33 for 278 yards - helped the visitors take the lead when he found Matt Jones with an eight-yard pass.

Brady replied by hitting Benjamin Watson in the end zone with one of 16 straight completions to start the game - an NFL post-season record.

Maroney's one-yard run put the home side in front but the Jags refused to go away, levelling matters with a touchdown from Ernest Wilford.

Fake play

However, the Patriots pulled away with a pair of third-quarter scoring passes from Brady, the first coming after an 82-yard, 11 play drive that ended with Wes Welker scoring from six yards out on a fake statue-of-liberty play.

Jacksonville pulled the score back to 21-17 thanks to Josh Scobee's 39-yard field goal before Watson got his second touchdown just before the end of the third quarter.

A 53-yard pass down the right sideline to Donte Stallworth set up Stephen Gostkowski's 35-yard field goal which made the score 31-20.

Jacksonville continued to battle hard but when Garrard was intercepted by Rodney Harrison to end a promising fourth-quarter drive, the game was over.

New England will now host the winners of Sunday's clash between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers to decide who will represent in the AFC in the Super Bowl.