Patriots' LeGarrette Blount runs all over the Colts again

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — With some extra beef up front and the power of 250-pound running back LeGarrette Blount, the New England Patriots pounded the ball again on the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts had talked about their improved run defense since they were gashed by the Patriots in November. That didn't show Sunday night as New England romped 45-7 in the AFC Championship Game and advanced to a Super Bowl XLIX matchup against the defending champion Seattle Seahawks.

Blount, a fifth-year pro from Oregon, rushed for 148 yards and three touchdowns with plenty of help from his blockers. Backup offensive tackle Cameron Fleming reported regularly as an eligible receiver and lined up as a second tight end, giving the Patriots seven big blockers across the front.

Blount was cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers in November after he left the field early in a game in which he had no carries. He also had a preseason arrest on a marijuana charge. But he quickly meshed after rejoining the Patriots, for whom he had rushed for 166 yards and four touchdowns in a playoff romp (43-22) over Indianapolis last season.

In the rain Sunday night, Blount got the ball plenty, carrying the ball 30 times. On several plays, he started off one side, then nimbly cut back the other way for big chucks on yardage. In five previous games this season with New England, Blount had rushed for 281 yards and three touchdowns.

Another Patriots back, Jonas Gray, ran for 201 yards and four touchdowns in New England 42-20 win over Indianapolis in the regular season.

Thought Blount didn't officially start (Shane Vereen opened in the backfield), he carried the load Sunday night.

Meanwhile, the Patriots didn't use the same eligible/ineligible ploy they used a week earlier against Baltimore but did get a 16-yard TD reception by tackle Nate Solder. Solder's wide open reception from Tom Brady gave New England a 24-7 lead in the third quarter.

Cameron (No. 71) had been the Patriot regularly reporting as eligible. But on third-and-1 from the Colts' 16-yard line, it was Solder (the left tackle) who reported as an eligible receiver. Solder caught Brady's pass in the flat, wrapped both hands around the ball and scored.

On a third-quarter drive in their victory over the Baltimore Ravens the previous week, the Patriots lined up Vereen on two plays as an ineligible receiver, even thought he was split wide. The Patriots used only four lineman.

Ravens Coach John Harbaugh protested to the officials that his defenders were getting enough time to adjust to who was eligible and who was not. The NFL said the strategy was legal.

Solder's touchdown catch was his first in the NFL.

'Avengers: Age of Ultron': The mysteries (and clues) from Marvel's second trailer

‘Everyone creates the thing they dread …’ With this, the new trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron presents a self-fulfilling (and self-replicating) prophecy. It’s not some outside invasion that could eradicate us; it’s our overwhelming desire for protection that will bring about destruction.

As Ultron himself intones (by way of the sinister voice of James Spader): “I’m going to tear you apart … from the inside.”

Okay, this thing just hit, so let’s start tearing it apart, too. There are lots of interesting pieces to puzzle over…

First, a quick refresher: In this sequel to 2012’s The Avengers, the good guys are feeling the effects of superhero burnout. As part of a plan to relieve the humans (and thunder god) of some of their protective burden, Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark has activated the artificial intelligence Ultron as a kind of automated global police force.

Ultron quickly comes to the conclusion that Earth would be a lot better off without Earthlings. Although he inhabits a physical form (starting with the creepy, staggering zombie-bot bAnd why should he only take one form? Even your cell phone can multi-task. The Avengers (and everyone on the planet) are in the targets of a genocidal intellect that can be everywhere and anywhere.

Punching power will not be enough to take him down. But it does seem to be enough for the Avengers to take each other down.elow), he resurrects and keeps building himself increasingly powerful shells.

So what’s new in this second trailer for the May 1 movie? It may be easier to start with what’s not new — or rather, what’s not here at all.