The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN IN THE PROS Tom Brady Breaks More Records F BY CHRIS BALAS ormer Michigan quarterback Tom Brady set an NFL playoff record with five touchdown passes in the first half of a 45-10, AFC di- visional playoff drubbing of Denver Jan. 14, setting up a meeting with Baltimore for the AFC championship and the right to go to the Super Bowl. Brady finished with six touchdown throws total, completing 26 of 34 passes for 363 yards. "This was Tom and what he does," wide receiver Deion Branch said in the postgame. "I wouldn't say it was his best game. There have been some others like this, but this was right up there with all the good ones." Brady entered the game with seven touchdowns and seven inter- ceptions in his past four postseason games. The ratio was much better against the Broncos — six touch- downs to one pick — but Brady wouldn't have cared if the numbers were reversed as long as the Patriots emerged victorious. "It's all about winning," Brady said. "You lose a few playoff games, and it's a very bitter way to end the sea- son. It sits on your mind for quite a long time. For us to come out and play the way we did, have a very solid per- formance in the most important game of the year, is very gratifying." Brady completed his first eight passes and never cooled, finding tight end Rob Gronkowski 10 times for 145 yards and three scores. New England went no huddle for the better part of three quarters, and the Broncos had no answer. As a result, New England will make its sixth AFC championship game appearance in 11 years, looking for a fifth Super Bowl in that span. The news wasn't as good for former U-M cornerback and Heisman win- ner Charles Woodson, who struggled with his Green Bay defensive team- mates in a stunning, 37-20 NFC di- visional playoff loss to the New York Giants. Former Michigan wide receiver Ma- rio Manningham started and caught three passes for 31 yards and a touch- down, and the Giants stunned the 86 THE WOLVERINE FEBRUARY 2012 Packers with a 37-yard, Hail Mary touchdown before the half to take a 20-10 lead from which Green Bay wouldn't recover. Woodson broke up a pass in the loss, his only statistic. "It's just a play that BRADY shouldn't happen," Wood- son told reporters in the postgame. "As a defense, we shouldn't allow a play like that to happen, allow a guy to get up there and get the ball on a Hail Mary pass. But he did. They had played well up to that point, so I'm sure they felt good about that situation at that time. "It kills you. We had a lot of good plays on first and second down. We were confident we would get off the field, but the Giants made a lot of great throws and catches and broke tackles. They did everything right to win the game." STEVE HUTCHINSON POSSIBLY HEADING TOWARD RETIREMENT Minnesota Vikings left guard and former Wolverine Steve Hutchinson finished the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row, this time with a concussion, leading many to wonder if he's played his final NFL game. ESPN.com reported that Hutchinson, a seven-time All-Pro, has quietly been telling teammates the 2012 season was originally slated to be his last. Hutchinson suffered a concussion Dec. 18 against New Orleans, head coach Leslie Frazier said, that cast some doubt on the guard's future. "I'm hoping that things will get bet- ter soon for him with the concussions for sure," Frazier said. "That's some- thing that I'm sure he and his family will discuss, what his future is and how much longer he wants to play professional football." Hutchinson, now 34, is reportedly owed $7 million in salary and bonuses next season. The one-time iron man has suffered from shoulder problems in 2009 and a broken thumb in 2010 in addition to his recent concussion. Hutchinson spent his first five NFL seasons with Seattle before signing a Hutchinson, a seven-time All-Pro, finished the season on injured reserve for the second straight year after suffering a concussion Dec. 18 and is considering retirement. PHOTO COURTESY MINNESOTA VIKINGS seven-year contract with the Vikings in 2006 that included a $10 million bonus. "He's still a guy who can play and be a positive addition to your football team," Frazier said. "He's got some decisions that he'll have to make after the season is over." NFL NOTES • Jake Long ended his fourth season with the Miami Dolphins a week early after tearing his right bicep muscle, but was still chosen for the Pro Bowl. Long was selected as a starter for the third straight season, but will miss the game with his injury. Brady and Woodson were also chosen as starters for the Jan. 29 game, but neither is expected to play, regardless of what happens to the Patriots in the AFC title game Jan. 22. • Punter Zoltan Mesko joins Brady as one of the few former Wolverines re- maining in the NFL playoffs. He punted twice for a 39-yard net in the win over the Broncos. Former guard Jonathan Goodwin starts at center for San Fran- cisco, plays for former Wolverine and current 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh