Patriots tame Jaguars to remain on perfect track

By Jason Szep

FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts (Reuters) - The New England Patriots extended their perfect season with a 31-20 divisional playoff victory over the hard-charging Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday.

The Patriots, who became the first team in the history of National League Football to win all 16 of their regular season games, now move on to the AFC title game next week.

Once again, quarterback Tom Brady provided a performance of composure and class for New England, completing 26-of-28 passes.

"We were very fortunate this year and now we're 17-0 and that's great but it all comes down to this week," Brady said.

"I hope I'm Zen-like for another week. That would be a great feeling."

Brady threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns but it was an unusually quiet night for big-play receiver Randy Moss, who caught only one pass. Brady threw to eight different receivers.

"They did a great job of controlling me," Moss said of the Jaguars' defense.

"But they did a bad job of controlling the other team."

The Patriots are now two wins away from equaling the Miami Dolphins record from 1972 of a 100 percent regular season and then going on to win the Super Bowl.

The Jaguars made a promising start when Matt Jones received an eight-yard pass from quarterback David Garrard to put the visitors ahead.

'PRETTY DECENT'

Touchdowns from Benjamin Watson and Laurence Maroney put the Pats in front 14-7 before a superb catch by Ernest Wilford on a six-yard pass by Garrard finished off a 95-yard drive in style to bring the scores level at 14-14.

However, New England took charge in the second half with Brady picking out Wes Welker and then Watson again in the end zone in the third quarter.

The Jaguars could only manage two field goals in response in the second half.

New England's Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 35-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to round off the scoring at 31-20.