FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Deion Branch and Adam Vinatieri are gone, but the Patriots have found some new playmakers at their positions.
Jabar Gaffney caught eight passes and Reche Caldwell grabbed five Sunday in New England's first playoff game since Branch was traded to Seattle. Rookie Stephen Gostkowski was 3-for-3 on fields goals in his first postseason game -- and the Patriots first since they lost Vinatieri, one of the NFL's best clutch kickers.
The Patriots moved ahead in the playoffs with a 37-16 win over the New York Jets: They'll play at San Diego next Sunday.
Branch, the MVP of the Patriots' third Super Bowl win two years ago, was traded early this season after a contract holdout. And David Givens, the Patriots second-best receiver last year, signed as a free agent with Tennessee.
But it didn't matter this week.
"Jabar Gaffney made some key plays," Caldwell said, who led the Patriots in receptions this season after coming from San Diego as a free agent. "I think we're just improving each week and it's showing on Sundays."
Gaffney had three receptions, all for first downs, on the game's opening drive that led to Corey Dillon's 11-yard scoring run. His catches gained 104 yards.
"That was probably his best week of practice all year," quarterback Tom Brady said of Gaffney, who joined the Patriots this season after being released by Houston. "He was the guy that was singled (on coverage) a lot out there. He really played well in his first playoff game ever."
So did Gostkowski. He kicked field goals of 20, 40 and 28 yards -- the last giving the Patriots a 23-13 lead with four seconds left in the third quarter.
For one week, at least, he answered fans who questioned his ability to perform in big games the way Vinatieri did in kicking game-winners in two Super Bowls before he left after last season for Indianapolis as a free agent.
"We don't bring guys in here that can't handle the pressure," second-year Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs said. "The one thing you can say about all of us is we're always prepared. Steve has always been prepared. The pressure is there, but we know how to handle it."
Brady always has been able to do that. He proved it in winning three Super Bowls and being named MVP in two of them.
But this season the only holdover at wide receiver is Troy Brown. Slowly, though, New England has built an effective corps of pass catchers as Caldwell, Gaffney and others have gained more experience with Brady.
