FOXBORO, Massachusetts, 19 December 2005 — New England quarterback Tom Brady guided the Patriots to a third straight AFC East title Saturday, another step in the team’s bid for a third straight Super Bowl crown.
Brady passed for 258 yards and three touchdowns and the Patriots recorded their first shutout in nearly two years, a 28-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an inter-conference game between first-place teams.
The win was the season-high third in a row and fifth in six games for the Patriots, who improved to 9-5 and claimed the AFC East crown for the fourth time in five years.
The Denver Broncos also clinched a playoff berth with a 28-17 victory over Buffalo, while in the third game on Saturday’s schedule the New York Giants beat Kansas City 27-17.
The Patriots are trying to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls.
“We had a lot on the line today and we accomplished our first goal, which was to win the AFC East title,” said Brady, who was listed as questionable with a left shin injury but made his 85th consecutive start.
The unbeaten Indianapolis Colts, who will be trying to improve to 14-0 when they host San Diego on Sunday, will be favored to end the Patriots’ run.
Last month, the Colts rolled to a 40-21 win at New England after losing to the Patriots in the playoffs the previous two years.
But the Patriots’ defense, which was ranked 29th entering this game, appears to be rounding into form at the right time. New England allowed a total of 10 points in its last two games before blanking the Bucs.
In Buffalo, Rod Smith had a season-high 11 receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown as the Broncos clinched their seventh postseason berth in the last 10 seasons under coach Mike Shanahan.
The Broncos can seal the AFC West title with a loss or tie by San Diego against Indianapolis.
Denver has not won a division crown since 1998, the last year it won the Super Bowl.
At Giants Stadium, Tiki Barber rushed for a franchise-record 220 yards and two touchdowns. He eclipsed the previous Giants’ club record of 218 rushing yards in a single game set by Gene Roberts in 1950.
His 220 yards was an NFL season-high and it came against a Chiefs defense, which had not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 20 straight games — the longest active streak in the NFL. It was also the second 200-yard game of the season for Barber.
The win moved the first-place Giants 1 1 2 games ahead of Dallas in the NFC East. The Cowboys were to play at Washington the next day. The loss was the second in a row for the Chiefs, who fell behind San Diego and Pittsburgh for the second AFC wild card spot.
