Undefeated NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS Head to SUPER BOWL, 18-0

Source: CBS and myself (I watched bits of the game).

New England Patriots: 21
San Diego Chargers: 12

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Defending Super Bowl Champs COLTS Lose to Chargers 28-24

Source: Sports Illustrated, CNN

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Peyton Manning couldn’t prevent the defending Super Bowl champions from going home.

Now San Diego must avoid a repeat of its last performance at New England.

The Chargers didn’t come close against the Patriots in Week 2, falling 38-14. That was the beginning of a slide to 5-5 for San Diego, but the Chargers (13-5) are rolling now.

For the Colts (13-4), it was a bitterly quick elimination from the postseason.

A year ago, they won three playoff games, then beat Chicago in the Super Bowl. They couldn’t recapture their touch on offense or defense this time, and a defense that allowed the fewest points during the season wore down against the equally physical Chargers.

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No rematch with New England.

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NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS Defeat Jax Jaguars, Move to 17-0

Source: MSNBC

Brady’s big night keeps Patriots perfect
MVP completes 26 of 28 passes as New England advances to AFC title game
17-0: Brady moves Patriots to AFC title game

Tom Brady completed 26 passes in 28 attempts, an NFL record 92.9 percent for regular-season and playoff games, to lead the New England Patriots one game closer to the Super Bowl, and their goal of acheiving the first-ever 19-0 season.

New England advances to the AFC championship game for the second straight year while remaining perfect at 17-0, matching the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only team to go unbeaten from the first game of the season through the Super Bowl.

“The thing about it now is that none of it matters.” Brady said. “For 17 games, it all comes down to this and we were here last year. I hope we perform better.”

Last season, the Patriots lost to Indianapolis in the AFC title game, 38-34, after squandering an 18-point lead. They could meet again; New England will be host next Sunday at Gillette Stadium to the winner of Sunday’s game between San Diego and Indianapolis.

The Patriots beat both this season and coach Bill Belichick said he has no preference.

“We don’t have any control over it,” he said.

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I stopped watching sports years before I moved to Chicago but I remember Bill Belichick and (if they end up playing the Colts in the AFC Championship) Tony Dungy when they coached as assistants under mid to late 90’s Minnesota Viking head coach Denny Green.

Seeing them go on to bigger and better things after the somewhat successful but frustrating years up North has been worth keeping an eye on.

I only wished I had watched more Patriots and Colts games this season.

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