FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP)- Tom Brady is terrific, the defense is dominating and everything – no matter how unusual – seems to be going the New England Patriots’ way again.

After all, it is December.

“This is when championships are won,” linebacker Tedy Bruschi said. “You start jockeying for position with other teams. If you don’t put your best foot forward, you can’t win it.”

The Patriots have overcome many key injuries, frustrating inconsistencies and blowout losses to be where they usually are in the last month of the season: streaking toward the playoffs but looking no further than their next game.

“You can’t do anything about the future, the past, so we’re just looking forward to next week,” wide receiver Troy Brown said. “We’re just trying to find a way to get better day by day, play by play.”

The two-time defending NFL champions had their best game of the season Saturday when they clinched their third consecutive AFC East title with a 28-0 rout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had the NFC’s best road record.

That guaranteed the Patriots (9-5) a game in the first round of the postseason at Gillette Stadium, where they are 29-5, including playoffs. They won with help from a scoring pass to a tackle looking into the sun and a roughing-the-punter penalty that led to another touchdown.

Not even a penalty for an illegal forward pass by linebacker Willie McGinest while he was returning a fumble recovery could keep them from a touchdown.

The win improved the Patriots regular-season record after Dec. 1 to 3-0 this year and 18-3 starting with the 2001 season, when they won the first of their three championships. In the seasons in which they won those titles, they were 13-1 after Dec. 1, with only a one-point loss at Miami last year.

“We have to make progress the next few weeks,” Brady said, “but it is a great feeling, realizing how many injuries we’ve had, to know that we are 9-5 and we have won the AFC East. And I think everyone is excited about that, but we still understand that we still have a long way to go.”

The Patriots have outscored their last three opponents 79-10, the fewest points they’ve ever allowed in a three-game span, and that stinginess could continue in their next game against the weak New York Jets in a Monday night game. New England ends its regular season on New Year’s Day at home against Miami.

With the division title secured and five wins in the last six games, coach Bill Belichick could give Brady, who has started 85 consecutive games, some rest. The quarterback threw for three touchdowns and 258 yards with no interceptions Saturday despite being questionable and missing some practice with a left shin injury.

“It is nothing that my teammates wouldn’t do,” Brady said, “and I don’t want to seem like I am anything different than what they did, because I am certainly not. There are plenty of guys playing hurt every week.”

The Patriots’ last game in November was one of their worst of the season, a 26-16 loss at Kansas City in which they trailed 26-3 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter.

Then they beat the Jets and Buffalo, two struggling teams.

“It is good to beat a good football team like Tampa Bay, and the way we did it was impressive,” defensive end Richard Seymour said.

They handed Tampa Bay its first shutout in 103 games, sacked Chris Simms seven times – twice each by Bruschi and McGinest – and held the Bucs to 138 total yards.

Patriots wide receiver David Givens alone gained a career-high 137 yards on six catches.

The defense held its third straight opponent under 200 yards and has allowed a total of 85 yards rushing in those games.

The offense didn’t turn over the ball and got two touchdowns and excellent blocking from running back Corey Dillon, who played his third game since missing two with a calf injury.

Other significant players also have returned from injury.

“There is definitely more confidence,” Brady said, “but at the same time, we are only 9-5. It’s not like we’re 13-0.”

So the Patriots know they still need to get better even after winning their division.

“If you look at the expression on my face,” Bruschi said, “I’m not too excited.”

AP-ES-12-18-05 1426EST