The New England Patriots have handled every bit of adversity that has been thrown at them this season – from a string of injuries to the recent off-field firestorm created by reports of purported discord within the core of the franchise.

Now http://www.jaguarscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-blake-bortles-jersey , they’ll have a chance to play for yet another AFC championship.

The Patriots’ 35-14 victory over the Titans in Saturday’s divisional round was yet another reminder of the defending Super Bowl champion’s unique ability to not only compartmentalize, but play some of their best football in the face of it.

Tom Brady chuckled when he was asked after the game about his name being mentioned in a swirl of media reports last week about alleged bickering between himself, coach Bill Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft.

”Noooo,” he responded sarcastically, when a reporter asked about Brady’s name being mentioned in a negative light.

But Brady said it ”just goes with the territory.

”I just try to be consistent, show up and do the best I can do every week for the team and regardless of whether I’m the worst quarterback in the league or the best quarterback in the league or somewhere in-between,” he said.

It was Brady’s 10th career postseason game with at least three TD tosses, moving him past Joe Montana for the most in NFL history. It also brought out some of the best football in his teammates.

James White caught a touchdown pass and ran for another, and Danny Amendola had 11 catches for 112 yards – his first career 100-yard receiving game.

”All the hard work we put in is for these moments,” White said. ”We have to make the most of these opportunities.”

Marcus Mariota tossed an early touchdown pass to give the Titans an early 7-0 lead. But Tennessee faltered down the stretch as the Patriots defense swarmed the third-year quarterback and sacked him a Patriots playoff-record eight times.

Titans coach Mike Mularkey revealed after the game that Mariota suffered a strained quadriceps muscle in the first quarter. But Mariota said it was no excuse.

”Everybody plays with something,” he said.

He said he walked off the field feeling ”embarrassed” a week after leading his team back from 18 points down against Kansas City. But he said watching the efficiency of Brady and the Patriots was a learning experience he will take with him moving forward.

”You don’t play to come and lose in the divisional playoff. You play to win the whole thing,” Mariota said. ”Obviously, this is the blueprint. New England’s been in the playoffs consistently. We can learn a lot from them.”

FAMILIAR POSITION

Brady will be making his 12th AFC championship game appearance in his 18 NFL seasons. He now has 221 career wins as a starting quarterback (regular season and playoffs), extending his NFL record. Peyton Manning is next with 200 career victories.

RARE COMPANY

Gronkowski finished with six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. It was his 10th career postseason TD. He’s tied with five others for third all-time. But it’s the most for a tight end. Only two players in NFL history have more receiving touchdowns in the playoffs: Jerry Rice with 22 and John Stallworth with 12.

But Gronkowski said it’s not something that is even registering right now.

”That’s great to hear and everything, but that’s not really the main goal,” he said. ”Maybe down the road you can look back and look at that stuff, but as of right now, what our main goal is just keep on grinding, get the win and that’s what we did tonight.”

HARD CRITIQUE

The Patriots feasted on third down against the Titans’ defense, going 11 of 17 in those situations.

Titans safety Kevin Byard said they allowed Brady to control the game.

”We didn’t play well enough to give our offense a chance,” Byard said. ”We were giving up too much, especially on early downs.”

He said New England’s 31 first downs stood out.

”(Brady) definitely outplayed us tonight.”

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Spotting opponents an early lead hasn’t been a problem lately for Anthony Rizzo and the Chicago Cubs.

Rizzo drove in his second run of the game in the seventh inning to snap a tie, Kyle Schwarber followed with a solo homer in the eighth and the Cubs rebounded from an early three-run deficit to edge the Detroit Tigers 5-3 on Tuesday for their fifth straight win.

The other team has scored first in each of Chicago’s recent victories, but the Cubs have kept chipping away.

”We know we’re a good team,” Rizzo said. ”We just have to string together good at-bats.”

The Cubs did just that again on Tuesday.

With one out in the seventh, Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist singled off Tigers reliever Daniel Stumpf (1-4). Rizzo’s slow bouncer up the middle resulted in a force of Zobrist at second, but Jose Iglesias’ throw to first was too late to double up Rizzo and Heyward scored from third to put Chicago ahead for the first time Leonard Fournette Jersey Black , 4-3.

Schwarber hit his team-leading 17th homer to right against a steady wind off Lake Michigan in the eighth.

Trailing 3-0, Albert Almora, Jr. and Heyward each drove in a run with a double, then Rizzo followed with an RBI single in Chicago’s three-run fifth.

Rizzo has just one homer in his past 20 games – and 12 this season – after launching at least 31 in each of the past four seasons. But the Cubs slugger says the longball isn’t always the best approach.

”You get down and start battling (at) two strikes, it’s not about hitting a homer,” Rizzo said. ”It’s just about putting the ball in play and we’re doing a good job at that.”

Justin Wilson (3-2), the second of Chicago’s four relievers, pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the win. Pedro Strop pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save in four chances.

The Cubs’ bullpen allowed just one hit after starter Kyle Hendricks labored through five innings, allowing three runs and seven hits in a no-decision. In his past six starts, the right-hander is 1-4 with a 6.75 ERA.

”They didn’t beat him up by any means today,” manager Joe Maddon said. ”It’s just that it wasn’t a typical surgeon-like procedure from Kyle. He looks good, he’s just not executing.”

Detroit leadoff hitter Mikie Mahtook had three singles and scored a run. Niko Goodrum drove in a run with a double, and Jeimer Candelario and James McCann each had an RBI as the Tigers lost their 12th game in their past 14.

Tigers starter Michael Fulmer went six innings and allowed three runs – all in the fifth – and seven hits.

”He had really good stuff,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. ”He got a couple of pitches up a bit, but they kind of put them in the right place.

”It wasn’t like they were lashing them, but they put them on the outfield grass, kind of like what we did to them early.”

The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. After Mahtook and Nick Castellanos led off with singles, Candelario drove in a run with a groundout. Goodrum’s double to the right-field corner scored the second run.

The Tigers added a run in the fourth on McCann’s RBI single.

The Cubs tied it 3-all in the fifth. Pinch-hitter Tommy LaStella, Almora and Heyward led off with consecutive doubles to cut it to 3-2, then Rizzo’s hit with one out tied it.

WINDY CITY TIGER

INF/OF Jim Adduci, called up from Triple-A Toledo on Sunday, was in Detroit’s lineup at first base and singled and scored in his first game this season. The 33-year-old attended Evergreen Park High School in Chicago’s south suburbs and grew up a fan of both the Cubs and White Sox. Adduci’s father, also named Jim, played a total of 70 games with three major league teams in the 1980s and was at Wrigley Field on Tuesday.

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Cubs: INF/OF Kris Bryant (left shoulder inflammation) probably will return Wednesday or Friday, Maddon said after the game. The Cubs star has been sidelined since June 22. … RHP Yu Darvish (right triceps inflammation, right elbow impingement/inflammation) rejoined the Cubs after seeing Dr. Keith Meister in Texas on Friday and getting a cortisone shot. Maddon said he still hadn’t yet talked to the right-hander about his progress following the injection.

UP NEXT:

Tigers LHP Francisco Liriano (3-4. 3.99) takes the mound against Cubs LHP Jose Quintana (6-6. 4.31) on Wednesday afternoon in the finale of the two-game interleague set. Liriano has lost both of his starts since coming off the disabled list (right hamstring strain) on June 23. Quintana has two losses and three no-decisions in his past five starts and hasn’t won since May 31.

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