Division titles clinched

TOM Brady powers New England Patriots to victory. AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Reigning Super Bowl champion New England and the Houston Texans clinched National Football League (NFL) division titles with victories Saturday, Houston sealing a playoff berth and the Patriots moving closer to a first-round bye.

New England held off a late Buffalo fightback for a 24-17 home triumph to secure an 11th consecutive American Football Conference (AFC) East division title while the Texans forced five turnovers in a 23-20 victory at Tampa Bay to claim the AFC South crown.

Tom Brady, the 42-year-old Patriots quarterback with a record six Super Bowl titles, completed 26-of-33 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown and also ignited two fourth-quarter scoring drives to rally New England past the Bills, who fell to 3-32 all-time against Brady.

“Amazing accomplishment and great win,” Brady said. “That’s a damn good football team we beat. Give credit to our guys. We came back in the fourth quarter. Our defense has been playing great all year. Another hard-fought game. I’m glad we won.”

The Patriots (12-3) would secure a first-round playoff bye with a home victory next week over Miami (3-11).

“This was a playoff game. Next week is a playoff game,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “We’ll keep building this thing and keep rolling. We’re in the playoffs now.”

An offensive pass interference call wiped out a 33-yard Brady touchdown pass to Ben Watson early in the third quarter, forcing the Patriots to settle for a 51-yard Nick Folk field goal and a 13-10 lead.

Buffalo seized the lead on the next drive when John Brown raced past New England’s defenders, caught a Josh Allen pass and raced untouched into the end zone to complete a 53-yard touchdown play as the Bills grabbed a 17-13 advantage.

It was Buffalo’s longest play from scrimmage all season.

In response, Brady drove the Patriots 77 yards in 11 plays but was stopped two yards from the goal line on a third-down run and the Patriots settled for a 20-yard Folk field goal to pull within 17-16 with 10:47 to go.

New England forced a Buffalo punt and Brady drove the Patriots 59 yards in seven plays, Rex Burkhead’s 1-yard touchdown run putting the hosts back in front with 5:06 remaining.

Brady flipped a 2-point conversion pass to Julian Edelman to boost New England’s lead to the final margin.

The Bills drove to the Patriots 8-yard line in the final minutes but New England’s defenders made two sacks and forced an incomplete pass, setting up a final desperate toss into the end zone that J.C. Jackson batted away to seal New England’s win.

Buffalo’s Stephen Hauschka kicked a 35-yard field goal to open the scoring but the Patriots seized the lead on Brady’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Matt LaCosse.

Brady directed the longest drive surrendered by the Bills this year on a 17-play, 81-yard march that lasted nearly nine minutes and ended on a 36-yard Folk field goal for a 10-3 New England lead.