patriots 45, broncos 10 | FINAL

Brady, Patriots rout the Broncos

The New England Patriots scored early and often tonight against the Broncos with Tom Brady’s record-tying performance to advance to next Sunday’s AFC Championship game.

slider -- FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 14: (L-R) Tom Brady #12 and Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots celebrate after Gronkowski caught a 10-yard touchdown reception from Brady in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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Tom Brady tied the NFL record for touchdowns in a playoff game with six against the Broncos, as the Patriots advanced to the AFC Championship game with a 45-10 rout.

slider -- FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 14: Brandon Spikes #55 and Devin McCourty #32 of the New England Patriots react after Spikes recovered a fumble by Tim Tebow #15 of the Denver Broncos in the first quarter during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Brandon Spikes (#55) and Devin McCourty (#32) celebrated after Spikes recovered a Tim Tebow fumble.

slider -- FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 14: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots scores a 12-yard touchdown reception in the seocnd quarter against Chris Harris #25 and Rafael Bush #36 of the Denver Broncos during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

al bello/getty images

Tight end Rob Gronkowski had three touchdowns in the game.

slider -- FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 14: Deion Branch #84 of the New England Patriots catches a 61-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

al bello/Getty Images

Deion Branch scored on a 61-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.

slider -- AFC PLAYOFF Patriots/Jets 01/14/2012 Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski #87 scores New England's 2nd touchdown in the 1st quarter trailed by the Broncos' CB Andre Goodman #21. The New England Patriots play the Denver Broncos in the 2012 AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, MA, Sunday, January 16, 2011. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff Photo)

barry chin/globe staff

Rob Gronkowski caught a 10-yard pass from Tom Brady as the Patriots took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

Patriots fans held signs spelling

The Boston Globe

Patriots fans held signs spelling "Gronk" for star tight end Rob Gronkowski.

slider -- A Patriots fan shouts during the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots NFL AFC Divisional playoff game in Foxborough, Massachusetts, January 14, 2012. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

Brian Snyder/REUTERS

A Patriots fan shouted during the game at Gillette Stadium.

slder -- FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 14: Tim Tebow #15 of the Denver Broncos is hit by Kyle Arrington #24 (R) of the New England Patriots as he runs the ball in the first half during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Kyle Arrington tackled Tim Tebow as he tried to run the ball in the first half.

slider -- AFC PLAYOFF Patriots/Jets 01/14/2012 A Patriots fan holds a sign making fun of Broncos QB Tim Tebow's last name. slider The New England Patriots play the Denver Broncos in the 2012 AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, MA, Sunday, January 16, 2011. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff Photo)

jim davis/globe staff

These fans at Gillette Stadium were looking for the Patriots to put an end to Tim Tebow's hot streak, and they did.

Tom Brady

Brady ties playoff record for TDs

Tom Brady's six touchdown passes tonight tied an NFL playoff record for a single game.

49ers 36, saints 32

49ers upset Brees’ Saints

The San Francisco 49ers capitalized on five New Orleans turnovers on their way to a victory tonight.

“People are uncomfortable and yet intrigued by strong religious faith, because it forces us to think about a part of life that we are not always comfortable with.”

Rev. Bryan Wilkerson,  on Tim Tebow’s open displays of faith

Special section

The Gardner Grows

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum looks to the future with its new wing. A special section gives you the complete tour, with interactive graphics, 360 degree panoramas, videos, galleries, and more.

Inside The Boston Globe

Penn State football coach Joe Paterno was fired on November 9.

Joe Paterno breaks silence

movies

Dancing in the dark

Pilgrimage to Patriot Place

Globe Insiders Event

Sneak Peek of ‘Albert Nobbs’ with Wesley Morris

Theater Review

‘Sugar’ tells of life with diabetes
In a pilot program, the Boston Transportation Department installed 144 single-space parking meters in downtown, on Sunday, March 6, 2011. Designed by IPS Group, of San Diego, CA, the retrofitted meter tops have the options for credit cards and coins.

Ideas

The case for the $6 parking meter

Mitt Romney returns fire in ads

Gardner’s new concert hall is attuned to musical legacy

Haiti quake survivor died alone in Boston

Brown, Warren battle over ads

Exclusive Sunday preview | Globe Magazine

New Massachusetts voting maps reflect cultural evolution at State House
Boston,Mass. -01/11/12 - Dappled clouds obscure the late afternoon sun as a man walks along the sidewalk of Day Blvd. in South Boston. A major is expected to bring mostly rain to Boston on Thursday. Globe staff photo by John Tlumacki (metro)

Photo Gallery

Photos of the week

Columnists

adrian walker

‘3 strikes’ bill goes nowhere

DERRICK Z. JACKSON

Speaking in the forked tongue of racial codes

Juliette Kayyem

Iran scientist assassinations serve no end
Boston, MA - 01/13/12 - (4th quarter} Long faces were the order of the day on the Boston Celtics bench as the Celtics suffered their third consecutive loss at home. The Boston Celtics took on the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden. - (Globe Staff Photo / Barry Chin), section: Sports, reporter: Washburn, slug: 14celtics, LOID: 5.0.750847069.

Christopher L. Gasper

Despite loss, Celtics are going to be fine
Tom Brady and the Patriots have gone 27-5 in the last two regular seasons, but are looking for their first playoff win since 2008.

Dan Shaughnessy

Everything is going the Patriots’ way now

Love letters

Should she tell her ex she’s moving back to town?
The Patriots’ playoff fate will rest largely on the performance of the defensive unit that Bill Belichick built this season. The defense ranked 31st in yards allowed during the regular season.

Bob Ryan

Patriots’ defense is the only question that matters

Brian Mcgrory

Lap dogs of luxury
Tom Brady is out to win his first playoff game in almost four years on Saturday.

Tony Massarotti

NFL’s era of offense on trial in these playoffs
The Patriots and Broncos squared off in Denver on December 18, 2011.

Boston Capital

NFL playoffs deliver huge TV audiences

ALEX BEAM

Whose side is He on?

Opinion

South Carolina, get ready for Romney

Metro

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Boston,Mass. -01/13/12 -Project 351, a day of service and celebraton of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. held activities at the MLK Towers in Roxbury. Gov. Deval Patrick paints a mural of MLK along side Madi Andrade(cq), 13, from Falmouth. Globe staff photo by John Tlumacki (metro)

Governor Patrick welcomes students for MLK day of service

Hundreds of eighth-grade students from across Massachusetts gathered in Boston for a day of service in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Business

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Ski areas welcome snow for holiday weekend

After a warm, dry start to the season, snow is finally starting to pile up in the mountains, and not a moment too soon for ski areas looking to capitalize on the long weekend.

Politics

Political notebook

A group of about 150 conservative Christian leaders and political activists emerged yesterday from a two-day meeting at a Texas ranch and endorsed former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum for president.

Christian leaders back Santorum at Texas meeting

A group of about 150 conservative Christian leaders and political activists endorsed Santorum for president after a two-day meeting in Texas.

Nation & World

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Reports: Crashed ship captain detained

Italian media reported that the captain of the Costa Concordia was detained and is under investigation for manslaughter and abandoning ship.

Sports

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Hurricanes 4, Bruins 2

Carolina's Jay Harrison is congratulated by his teammates after netting the game-winner against the Bruins.

Late goal lifts Hurricanes over Bruins

Jay Harrison scored the winning goal with 1:30 remaining for the Carolina Hurricanes, who rallied for a 4-2 victory over the Bruins.

Arts

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Music preview

Real Estate is right at home with their sound

On the band’s sophomore album, the guitars might be chiming like on their beach-inspired debut, but the lyrics are rife with longing.

Magazine

The cover for the January 8 2012 issue

Photograph by Essdras M Suarez
The cover for the January 1 2012 issue

Bostonian of the Year: Carmen Ortiz
The cover for the December 18 2011 issue

Boston’s best people and ideas of 2011
The cover for the December 11 2011 issue

Letting Ruth go

Opinion

“Here were leaders of the GOP ripping into Romney for — horrors! — being a capitalist. Karl Marx himself would have been proud.”

Tom Keane 

Ideas

To critics, the very notion of a ‘culture-bound illness’ is an outdated relic from the days of European empires.

Latif Nasser on psychiatry’s struggle with “culture-bound syndromes”