Tom Brady‘s way of dealing with Tebowmania was to silence it with a record-shattering performance.

Brady threw six touchdowns passes, five in the first half, and put the New England Patriots into the AFC championship game after roughing up Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos 45-10 Saturday night.

The Patriots, winners of nine straight games, will host either Baltimore or Houston next Sunday for a spot in the Super Bowl. Saturday night’s romp snapped a three-game postseason losing streak, two of those at Gillette Stadium, and lifted the Patriots to the verge of their fifth Super Bowl appearance in 11 seasons. They’ve won it three times.

And so ended one of the season’s most exciting story lines — one that caught the nation’s attention and began when Denver was 1-4 and made Tebow a starter. The one-time third-stringer promptly won six in a row and seven of eight, with a string of stunning comebacks, and the Broncos ended up backing into the AFC West title.

Alex Smith completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis with nine seconds left just after Drew Brees had put the high-powered Saints ahead, and the resurgent San Francisco 49erscapitalized on five New Orleans turnovers for a thrilling 36-32 playoff victory Saturday.

Smith ran for a 28-yard touchdown with 2:11 left and threw another scoring pass to Davis. Coach Jim Harbaugh’s NFC West champions (14-3) proved that a hard-hitting, stingy defense can still win in the modern, wide-open NFL by holding off one of league’s most dynamic offenses.

San Francisco triumphed in its first playoff game in nine years, moving within one win of returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since capturing the proud franchise’s fifth championship after the 1994 season. The Saints finished 14-4.

Next up for the 49ers is the NFC title game against the winner of Sunday’s New York Giants-Green Bay Packers matchup.

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis said Tuesday that he doesn’t plan to sell the franchise, but he kept open the possibility of relocating it.

The Raiders have been trying to procure a new stadium and have been continually linked to a return to Los Angeles, where the team played from 1982 to 1994 before going back to Oakland. L.A. has two groups vying to build a new stadium and land an NFL team.

In response to a reporter’s question after Reggie McKenzie was introduced as the Raiders’ new general manager, Davis said he was open to the proposed joint facility with the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., and has spent more than a year on stadium options other than antiquated Oakland Coliseum. But if a stadium solution can’t be done in the Bay Area, “something will get done somewhere,” Davis said.

“We’ve got to get a stadium. We’ve got to get that done,” said Davis, who added he has talked to groups in L.A. but hasn’t received an offer he likes. “It’s such a competitive business. It really is competitive. We can’t compete for a lot of the players that other teams can at times.”

Regardless of where the Raiders play, Davis said they will remain under his ownership.

“This is my life,” he said. “I’ve been with the Raiders for 48 years. And my whole thing is to continue the legacy that my father (Al Davis, who died in October) built here, and I’ve got one of the largest extended families in the world.”

Per NFL.com:

Police confirmed Tuesday that they have recovered the son of Green Bay Packers‘ offensive coordinator Joe Philbin from an icy Wisconsin River.

Michael T. Philbin, 21, disappeared early Sunday and was reported missing that night. His body was recovered from the Fox River by divers on Monday, but Oshkosh Police Chief Scott Greuel waited a day to release the name out of respect for the family’s privacy

NFL Network’s Albert Breer reported that Packers employees were informed Monday that the body of Philbin’s son had been found and identified.

News of Philbin’s death comes as the Packers are preparing to host the New York Giants in an NFC divisional playoff game Sunday. The team canceled players’ media availability Monday shortly before Philbin’s body was found.

“We love Michael so much and will miss him dearly. He loved his family, friends and life. His memory will live on in the hearts and minds of all who knew him,” Philbin said in a statement released Tuesday. “We are appreciative of the prayers and the support of our family, friends and the Packers family. We ask for continued respect and privacy for our family as we deal with our loss.

“Our family also wants to thank the Oshkosh Police Department, Winnebago County Dive/Rescue/Recovery Team and the Winnebago County Coroner’s office for their efforts and compassion during this difficult ordeal.”

Packers general manager Ted Thompson issued a statement Tuesday saying the team’s thoughts and prayers were with the family.

“This is an emotional and difficult time for them, and we ask that everyone respect their privacy,” Thompson said. “All of us in the Packers family share in their grief.”

It was unclear whether Joe Philbin will continue to work with the team this week. Coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Monday that he has a contingency plan if Philbin needs time off but didn’t elaborate. Team spokesman Aaron Popkey declined further comment Tuesday.

An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday. Results are not expected for at least a month. Oshkosh police Chief Scott Greuel said Tuesday they suspect no foul play.

An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday in Madison but toxicology results weren’t expected to be available for at least a month, police spokesman Joseph Nichols said.

Packers players took to Twitter to post supportive messages for Philbin.

“As children we all have to someday say goodbye to our parents, but a parent should never have to say goodbye to their child,” said offensive lineman T.J. Lang, whose father, Thomas, died last week.