Patriots run over Colts into AFC Championship game

Credit: Reuters

Coming off a first-round bye and playing at Gillette Stadium where they have not lost all season, the Patriots kept their perfect home record intact and now await the winner between the top-seeded Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers, who clash on Sunday in the other AFC divisional playoff.

The Patriots, who have traditionally relied on the arm of their future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady to get the job done, used a punishing ground game to subdue the Colts, with Blount powering his way into the end zone for four scores, including a 73-yard rumble, and Stevan Ridley two more.

Brady, who has thrown 42 career post-season touchdown passes to sit third on the NFL all-time list, completed just 13-of-25 pass attempts for 198 yards and no touchdowns.

(Reporting by Steve Keating; Editing by Peter Rutherford)