Typecast Patriots take stage again as Super Bowl villains

MINNEAPOLIS - Every great drama needs a hero and a villain and on Sunday the New England Patriots will assume their role as the National Football League's most hated team when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

For the Patriots it is type-casting. On the NFL stage they play no other role. Fans criticise them for being just too successful in a league designed to not have dynasties and can not forgive two rule-bending scandals in the last decade.

The Eagles, however, are far from angels. Their fans after all once booed Santa and pelted him with snow balls.

But such behavior can be overlooked alongside what has become known as the New England Evil Empire, a championship machine that operates with ultimate efficiency.

They have reached the Super Bowl for the eighth time since 2002, hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy five times, including twice in the past three seasons.

The Patriots, however, have also twisted the rules to their advantage -- including videotaping opposition coaches in 2007 and deliberately under-inflating balls in a playoff game in 2015 -- which have left a tarnish on their legacy.

It is a role Patriots owner Robert Kraft understands.

"When I actually bought the Patriots there were 23 lawsuits out. I know the league was thinking about buying the team and everyone was so nice to me for those first few years," Kraft told reporters during Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday.

"Once we went to the Super Bowl in 1996 a lot of the people who were kind and gracious, changed.

"Everyone loves a door mat in this league."

It is that kind of attitude that resulted in a Public Policy Poll released just before last year's Super Bowl that showed their quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick were at the top of the most hated list.

Belichick could take some small comfort in that fans disliked NFL commissioner Roger Goodell more.

Brady, however, is a more enigmatic figure. The poll also found him to the NFL's most popular quarterback as well.

For fans outside of New England, however, he is simply too smug, too rich and too good.

In the Super Bowl setting it is hard to see what anyone could dislike about Brady.

He arrived at Opening Night, smiled, answered questions, was playful and disarming.

But there is also the win at all costs Brady who was suspended four games for his part in deflating the balls.

Belichick, on the other hand, emanates a 'keep your distance' vibe and appears to endure media conferences rather than enjoy them and rarely gives anything away.

Only Kraft is willing to offer a hint about the deeper philosophy. "I think it's good (there is a team like the Patriots) but there are 31 other cities that don't agree," said Kraft. "I understand everyone wants their team to win.

"I'm just happy we are in our position.

"Every roof has a leak, every heart has some sadness, you just work through it and you do your best.

"Someone out there will work hard and take us down but I hope it's not this Sunday."

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Pats down Jets to secure home field advantage in playoffs

LOS ANGELES -- The Super Bowl champion New England Patriots locked up home field advantage throughout the playoffs Sunday with a 26-6 victory over the New York Jets on the final day of the NFL regular season.

Superstar quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots, already assured of the AFC East division title and a first-round bye, secured the conference's top spot for a second straight season and the seventh time overall.

Dion Lewis totaled 133 yards -- 93 rushing and 40 receiving -- and scored two touchdowns while Brady completed 18-of-37 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns for the Pats.

New England's victory over the lowly Jets, in frigid weather at their Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, meant the Pittsburgh Steelers settled for the second seed in the American Football Conference, despite a 28-24 victory over the hapless Cleveland Browns.


In another game played in arctic conditions, the Steelers rested quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Le'Veon Bell.

Even so, the Browns claimed a dubious place in NFL history, joining the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only teams to finish an NFL season 0-16.

The Browns pushed to the end to avoid that ignominy. After the Steelers jumped to a 14-0 lead, Cleveland came back to knot the score at 21-21.

But the Steelers regained the lead on JuJu Smith-Schuster's 96-yard kickoff return and the Browns could only manage a field goal after that.

The Minnesota Vikings secured a first-round bye in the National Football Conference playoffs with a 23-10 victory over the Chicago Bears.

The defeat was widely expected to spell the end of coach John Fox's tenure at Chicago, after the Bears finished the season 5-11.

The Philadelphia Eagles, who had already clinched the top seed, with a bye and home field advantage, in the NFC, ended the regular-season with a 6-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

The game, another one played in freezing weather in Philadelphia, was scoreless through three quarters before Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott hit Brice Butler with a 12-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth.

The Eagles won't have been encouraged by the performance of quarterback Nick Foles, who connected on four of 11 passes for 39 yards and one interception before third-string signal caller Nate Sudfeld took over in the second quarter.

The Eagles were shut out for the first time since the regular-season finale in 2010.

The race for the three final playoff berths continued later Sunday.

Four teams had a chance at the two remaining AFC berths. The Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans could seize them with victories in their games, but if they faltered the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills had a chance to swoop in for the spoils.

The Atlanta Falcons were trying to secure the final NFC wild card berth with a victory over the Carolina Panthers, but any misstep could open the door for the Seattle Seahawks to advance.

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Pats pounce on Chargers mistakes, Eagles win again

LOS ANGELES -- The Super Bowl champion New England Patriots took advantage of the Los Angeles Chargers' mistakes on Sunday to notch their fourth straight NFL victory, 21-13 at Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Superstar quarterback Tom Brady threw for 333 yards with a touchdown and Stephen Gostkowski kicked four fields goals for the Patriots, who improved to 6-2.

Brady, who threw a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski, recorded his 81st career 300-yard game. His fifth this season matches his total of 300-yard games last year.

"I'm glad we won, that's the most important thing," Brady said. "Starting 0-1 and then being 6-2, a lot of mental toughness. That's good. We've got to keep it going. Our biggest games are ahead of us so we have to go play well."

The Chargers, who lost their first four games of a season that saw them relocate to Los Angeles from San Diego, had won their last three.

But any hope of shocking the reigning Super Bowl champions evaporated in a string of errors.

The worst of them came when punt returner Travis Benjamin fielded a Ryan Allen punt near the sideline at his own eight yard line.

He ran backward and wound up fumbling the ball at the goal line, recovering it inside the end zone for the first safety on a punt return in the NFL since 2003, one that gifted the Patriots a 9-7 lead.

As the season reached the halfway stage, tensions continued to simmer over controversial national anthem protests, undertaken by players to address racial injustice but criticized by some, including US President Donald Trump, as unpatriotic.

All but a handful Houston Texans players took a knee during "The Star-Spangled Banner" before their game in Seattle, a response to Texans owner Bob McNair's comment in an owner meeting on the topic that the league "can't have the inmates running the prison".

McNair had issued a statement apologizing for his choice of words on Friday, after the comment was publicized in an ESPN story.

He also met Saturday with Texans players, some of whom were reportedly prepared to boycott the game in Seattle, where the Seahawks emerged from a back-and-forth battle with a 41-38 win.

Week eight action kicked off in London, where the Minnesota Vikings shook off a slow start to beat the still winless Cleveland Browns 33-16 at Twickenham Stadium.

The Browns seized an early 6-0 lead, but after five lead changes it was the Vikings who emerged with the victory as the Browns fell to 0-8.

   
- Eagles win 6th straight -

The Philadelphia Eagles won their sixth straight, improving to 7-1 with a 33-10 victory over the San Francisco 49ers -- the only other remaining winless team.

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz threw two touchdown passes, taking his tally through the first eight games to a franchise record 19.

In New Orleans, the Saints marched to a fifth straight victory, 20-12 over the Chicago Bears.

Drew Brees connected on 23 of 28 passes for 299 yards, but for the first time since 2009 the Saints won a game without benefit of a touchdown pass from their star signal caller.

"We're playing really complementary football," Brees said. "Offensively, I felt we had good balance. It was closer than it needed to be with the two turnovers, but the defense came up with some huge stops."

Bears tight end Zach Miller was carted off with a grisly dislocated knee in the third quarter. To add insult to his injury, the play on which he was hurt was overturned on review as officials ruled that Miller lost control of the ball on what would have been a 25-yard touchdown catch.

Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns and the Cowboys had four field goals from Mike Nugent in a 33-19 win over the Redskins in rainswept Washington.

The Cowboys defense also played a key role, with five sacks and a clinching interception return for a touchdown by safety Byron Jones.

"Everybody had a piece of this. Offense, defense, kicking game. Everybody. This game was fight," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett told his players after the game. "We didn't blink."

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Brady magic rescues Patriots, Falcons march on

LOS ANGELES -- Tom Brady conjured a last-gasp Houdini act to save the New England Patriots in a thrilling win over the Houston Texans on Sunday as the Atlanta Falcons preserved their unbeaten record.

With events off the field dominating a dramatic day that saw widespread player protests, Brady once again laid on a masterclass to throw for five touchdowns in a 36-33 victory at Gillette Stadium.


The crowning moment of a 378-yard passing display by the 40-year-old Brady came with the Patriots trailing 28-33 with just over two minutes remaining.

An eight-play 75-yard drive ended with Brady hitting receiver Brandin Cooks with a 25-yard pass into the end zone for the game-winning score.

The nerve-jangling finale capped an extraordinary game which had seen sections of the Patriots crowd boo several of the team's own players after they opted to kneel during the playing of the national anthem before kick-off.

Brady had stood with his arms interlocked in solidarity with his team-mates during the solemn anthem rendition.

It was just one of several large protests by players across the league on Sunday following remarks by US President Donald Trump. Trump had enraged NFL stars and team owners on Friday by describing players who protest during the anthem as "sons of bitches" who should be fired.

- Falcons soar -

The Patriots win helped New England move to 2-1 in the AFC East, putting them level with the Buffalo Bills who lead on points difference.

The Bills pulled off an upset win over the unbeaten Denver Broncos, winning 26-16. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw for two touchdowns and 213 yards to spark the Bills.

But it was an unhappy afternoon for Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian, who failed to throw for any touchdowns and was twice picked off for costly interceptions.

Denver were one of seven previously unbeaten teams to taste defeat in early games on Sunday.

In Detroit, Matt Ryan threw for two touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons won the battle of the unbeatens with a hard-fought 30-26 victory over the Lions.

Ryan, desperate to atone this season after last year's Super Bowl collapse, made 24 completions from 35 passing attempts to finish with 294 yards at Ford Field.

The win leaves Atlanta with a perfect 3-0 record at the top of the NFC South while Detroit fell to 1-2 after the loss.

Matthew Stafford finished with 264 passing yards but was crucially unable to mount a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter as the Lions sought to overturn a four-point deficit.

The Carolina Panthers meanwhile saw their unbeaten start to the season end with an emphatic 34-13 loss to the previously winless New Orleans Saints.

Saints veteran quarterback Drew Brees shredded the vaunted Panthers defense with three touchdown passes for 220 yards.

Meanwhile in the day's early game at Wembley Stadium in London, Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles dismantled the Baltimore Ravens en route to a 44-7 win.

Bortles threw for four touchdowns as Jacksonville improved to 2-1.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco meanwhile had a nightmare day, making just eight of 18 pass attempts for 28 yards with two interceptions.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh vowed the team would bounce back in time for next week's divisional battle with Pittsburgh.

"One game or one loss doesn't define you," Harbaugh said.

"It's how you respond that defines you. ... We got outplayed. We have to move on and find a way to play better next week."

Pittsburgh meanwhile have their own problems after sliding to a 23-17 overtime loss against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday.

The Steelers, who opted to remain in their dressing room during the national anthems before kick-off, were sunk by Jordan Howard's 19-yard walkoff touchdown.

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Patriots beat Steelers, set up Super Bowl vs Falcons

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots scored the first 19 points of the second half to turn a tight contest into a romp as they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-17 on Sunday to set up a Super Bowl clash against the high-scoring Atlanta Falcons.

The American Football Conference (AFC) Championship triumph propelled the Patriots to a record ninth trip to the Super Bowl, while Atlanta walloped the Green Bay Packers 44-21 in the NFC Championship game earlier on Sunday to earn a shot at their first league title in their Super showdown in Houston on Feb. 5.

Victory was extra sweet for the Patriots and Brady, who was suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the season for his role in the controversial underinflation of balls in the AFC title game two years ago that came to be known as Deflategate.

New England began the season 3-1 before Brady rejoined them and took them to a 14-2 regular season record and a winning streak that has now reached nine games.

Brady, who completed 32 of 42 passes for 384 yards and three touchdowns, avoided saying he felt extra motivation after accepting a suspension he did not feel he deserved.

"This is my motivation right here, all these fellows right here in front of me. That's why we're here," Brady said at the trophy presentation as he gestured toward his teammates.

"We'll see if we can write the perfect ending in a couple of weeks. It's going to take a big effort. We're playing a great team, but it's going to be a hell of a game."

The Steelers, who were also vying to become the first team to make a ninth Super Bowl appearance, stopped the Patriots' running attack, but had a hard time containing Brady and his stable of receivers, most notably Chris Hogan.

Playing in his 11th conference title game, Brady spread the field with his receivers and time and again found Hogan, hitting him with first-half scoring strikes of 34 and 16 yards as New England took a 17-9 lead at intermission.

The long TD catch by Hogan came on a trick play known as a flea flicker. Brady handed off to running back Dion Lewis, who ran forward before tossing the ball back to Brady, who lofted the touchdown pass to a wide open Hogan in the end zone.

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger gained yards in shorter chunks but had trouble getting the Steelers into the end zone against a New England defense and stellar secondary that led the NFL in fewest points allowed during the regular season.

The vaunted running game of the Steelers produced only 54 yards, slowed when Le'Veon Bell was sidelined in the second quarter with a groin injury.

Roethlisberger completed 31 of 47 for 314 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The usually taciturn Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was enthused to be going to his seventh Super in partnership with Brady, looking for a fifth Super Bowl ring.

"Great players. It's all about the players," Belichick said at the trophy ceremony. "They work hard, they're unselfish and they're tough.

"The players played hard, they played smart. We took care of the ball, played good defense and to hold that team to nine points for 50 minutes is pretty good."

(Editing by Andrew Both)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Brady powers Patriots in playoff win over Chiefs

WASHINGTON -- Tom Brady threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to spark defending Super Bowl champion New England over Kansas City 27-20 Saturday, advancing the Patriots in the NFL playoffs.

With Brady completing 28-of-42 passes for 302 yards, the Patriots reached their fifth consecutive American Conference championship game and will fight for a Super Bowl berth on January 24 against the winner of Sunday's playoff matchup between the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers.

It was four-time Super Bowl winner Brady's ninth career playoff 300-yard passing game, matching Peyton Manning for the most in NFL history.

Kansas City saw an 11-game win streak snapped. The Chiefs were thwarted in their bid to reach the conference final for the first time since 1993.

It was in last year's conference final that controversy erupted over the Patriots using under-inflated footballs, one that led the NFL to issue Brady a four-game suspension only to have the superstar quarterback take the issue to federal court.

A judge threw out Brady's suspension, citing a lack of fair due process, and the NFL has appealed that decision, a hearing set for after next month's Super Bowl so it will have no impact on New England's title repeat quest.

Cairo Santos kicked a 32-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining in the second quarter to pull Kansas City within 14-6 at half-time.

But Knile Davis fumbled after a reception and New England recovered at its own 31-yard line. Five plays later, Brady connected with Rob Gronkowski on a 16-yard touchdown pass and the Patriots seized a 21-6 edge.

Kansas City answered with Alex Smith connecting on a 10-yard touchdown pass to Albert Wilson to lift the Chiefs within 21-13.

But New England responded with a 40-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal and then defensively forced the Chiefs to punt from their own end zone, setting up a 32-yard Gostkowski field goal that gave New England a 27-13 lead with 10:20 remaining.

The Chiefs closed within the final margin after Charcandrick West scored on a 1-yard run around right end with 73 seconds remaining.

New England's Gronkowski recovered Kansas City's onside kick attempt and the Patriots ran the final seconds off the clock.

New England grabbed a 7-0 lead only 4:37 into the game as Brady capped an 11-play, 80-yard march with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Gronkowski.

Santos answered for the Chiefs with a 34-yard field goal, but Brady had more magic up his sleeve.

Brady went 6-for-6 for 63 yards passing in a 98-yard drive that ended when he scored on a 1-yard touchdown dive up the middle just 3:23 before half-time.

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Neymar double as Brazil thrash USA

Barcelona superstar Neymar scored twice as Brazil thrashed the United States 4-1 to equal the Americans' heaviest margin of defeat under manager Jurgen Klinsmann in a friendly international.

The USA, looking for an encouraging display as they prepare for a crucial Confederations Cup play-off against Mexico next month, were run ragged as Brazil turned on the style at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

The scoreline matched the worst ever suffered by the Americans under Klinsmann, who were beaten 4-1 by Brazil in 2012 and 4-1 by Ireland in 2014.

Brazil, who face a daunting opening to their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign away to Chile next month, were always in control.

Veteran striker Hulk and youngster Rafinha scored the five-time world champion's other goals.
Substitute Danny Williams scored a late consolation for the Americans, lashing home a 30-yard screamer in the 90th minute.

The South Americans dominated a one-sided first half, threatening to run riot against an experimental United States formation featuring Alejandro Bedoya playing in an unfamiliar defensive midfield role.





The Braxilians swept forward confidently and did not have long to wait until their early superiority was rewarded with the first goal.

Chelsea star Willian burst clear of two American defenders down the right flank and curled a looping cross beyond US keeper Brad Guzan.


As the Aston Villa goalkeeper dithered, the ball rebounded off the inside of the upright and fell kindly to Hulk, who cut back towards goal to wrong-foot defender DeAndre Yedlin to bludgeon home for 1-0.

The USA's lone attack of the first half came shortly afterwards when Yedlin, the Tottenham player currently on loan at Sunderland, surged down the flank and crossed for Jozy Altidore, whose shot on the run was blocked.


Klinsmann acknowledged the Bedoya experiment had left the Americans exposed and swiftly replaced him with Williams on 36 minutes.

Yet Brazil almost doubled their lead three minutes before the break when Marcelo thumped a ferocious angled shot towards the top corner that Guzan did well to parry away.

- Enter Neymar -

Dunga brought Neymar on at half-time and the Barcelona superstar, who will be suspended for the Selecao's clash with Chile next month, made an instant impact.

David Luiz released Neymar into acres of space down the right and the number 10 cut back inside only to have Stoke City defender Geoff Cameron sweep his legs from beneath him for a cast-iron penalty.


Neymar duly stepped up to rifle home the spot-kick -- his 45th international goal -- to make it 2-0.

Rafinha was the next to find the target, deftly finishing after an exquisite pass from Lucas Moura for Brazil's third goal in the 64th minute.


Another superb ball by Paris Saint-Germain's Moura set up Neymar to make it 4-0 in the 67th minute, the Barcelona player shooting low through a crowd of USA defenders to beat Guzan once more.

It could have been worse if Rafinha had not dragged a shot wide with the goal begging in the 70th minute.
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Fans stage 'Free Tom Brady' rally to protest ban

FOXBOROUGH -- About 150 New England Patriots fans staged a protest rally Sunday in the team's stadium parking lot against the four-game National Football League ban given to star quarterback Tom Brady.

Supporters chanted slogans and waved banners at the "Free Tom Brady" rally at Gillette Stadium, objecting to the suspension issued by the league in the wake of the "Deflategate" report that said Brady probably knew about the tinkering with game footballs before contests.

Pablo Munoz, a 22-year-old janitor, organized the event on Facebook, calling it a "peaceful rally to protest the unjust football arrest of half-God, half-man Tom Brady."

Many of those who attended wore Brady jerseys in tribute to the Patriots star, the multi-millionaire husband of supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

"Money can't buy legacy and that's what's being tainted right now," Munoz told the Boston Herald.

"If he goes in the Hall of Fame with an asterisk next to his name that's going to be more than defamation.

"That's to be just terrible. That's really what this is about. It's to show him there's still a nation, a sea of people who believe that he's the champion that he is."

Brady was banned for the first four games of next season after an investigation said it was more likely than not that Brady was at least aware of team employees who let some air out of Patriots' footballs ahead of January's American Conference final against Indianapolis.

The Patriots won the game and went on to win the Super Bowl, giving Brady his fourth NFL title.

Brady has appealed the suspension and the NFL players union has asked that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell not be the one to hear the appeal.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com