Brady threw two touchdown passes to set a season record

The Patriots are only the second team in NFL history to complete a perfect season since the Miami Dolphins set a 14-0 record in 1972.

Quarterback Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver Randy Moss to set up the historic victory.

Brady said: "We're going to enjoy this. It only happens once every 35 years."

PATRIOTS' UNBEATEN SEASON Sep 9: Bt New York Jets 38-14 Sep 16: Bt San Diego 38-14 Sep 23: Bt Buffalo 38-7 Oct 1: Bt Cincinnati 34-13 Oct 7: Bt Cleveland 34-17 Oct 14: Bt Dallas 48-27 Oct 21: Bt Miami 49-28 Oct 28: Bt Washington 52-7 Nov 4: Bt Indianapolis 24-20 Nov 18: Bt Buffalo 56-10 Nov 25: Bt Philadelphia 31-28 Dec 3: Bt Baltimore 27-24 Dec 9: Bt Pittsburgh 34-13 Dec 16: Bt New York Jets 20-10 Dec 23: Bt Miami 28-7 Dec 29: Bt NY Giants 38-35

The two touchdowns helped set single-season records for touchdown passes and catches respectively.

Brady's two scoring passes gave him 50 for the season, eclipsing the previous mark of 49 set by Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts in 2004.

Moss's catches gave him 23 for the season which broke the previous best set by Jerry Rice in 1987.

The Patriots now face the play-offs in January aiming to match the 1972 Dolphins team whose perfect season included winning the Super Bowl.

Don Shula, coach of the all-conquering Dolphins in '72, was among those paying tribute to New England.

"Going undefeated during the regular season is a remarkable achievement," he said. "I know first-hand how difficult it is to win every game and just as we did in 1972.

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"The Patriots have done a great job concentrating on each week's opponent and not letting any distractions interrupt that focus."

Defensive tackle Manny Fernandez, part of Shula's 1972 team, said: "If they finish without a loss (and win the Super Bowl) it's almost going to be a relief.

"That way, the media will start to call them the first eight or nine games each year whenever a team starts undefeated instead of calling us. That will give us a break."