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Brady throws six TDs vs. Dolphins as Patriots remain perfect

Oct 21, 2007 - 10:49 PM By Michael Snyder PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MIAMI (TICKER) -- By the time Tom Brady finally threw an incompletion, the New England Patriots already had a 28-point lead over the Miami Dolphins - in the second quarter.

Brady connected on his first 11 passes, four that went for touchdowns, as the Patriots remained undefeated Sunday thanks to a 49-28 rout of the hapless Dolphins.

The remarkably one-sided contest pitted the NFL's best team against the only remaining winless squad in the league.

Off to the best start in franchise history, the Patriots (7-0) clearly have rebounded from their heartbreaking loss to the Indianapolis Colts in last year's AFC Championship game, outscoring their opponents by an average of 22.7 points per game.

But Brady wants to keep all the early season success in perspective.

"Our goals are bigger than winning seven games this year," he said.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick took a more glib approach to explaining his team's offensive firepower.

"We moved the ball well and scored a lot of points, something we haven't done a whole lot of here," Belichick said.

Conversely, the Dolphins (0-7) have lost a franchise-record nine straight games dating back to last year.

When it was all over, Brady had set a new career high with six touchdowns, bringing his season total to 27 through just seven games. The two-time Super Bowl MVP had just 24 TD passes last year and entered the season with a career high of 28.

Brady established a new franchise single-game record with his six TDs, becoming the first player to achieve the feat since Colts quarterback Peyton Manning did so on Thanksgiving against the Detroit Lions on November 25, 2004.

Randy Moss and former Dolphin Wes Welker were each on the receiving end of a pair of Brady's scores. Donte' Stallworth and tight end Kyle Brady also had TD receptions.

"(The receivers) are probably more in a zone than I am," Brady said. "It's incredible to watch those guys make those type of plays. Randy's two touchdown catches were awesome."

Brady finished 21-of-25 for 354 yards for New England (7-0), which has scored a total of 279 points this season. The Patriots have scored at least 34 points in each of their last eight games, tying the 2000 St. Louis Rams for the NFL record.

Brady entered with a poor career resume in Dolphin Stadium, having lost four of his six previous starts here.

"I've had some of the worst games of my career here," he said.

But even a checkered history could not slow down Brady, who completed all four passes on the opening drive as New England took a 7-0 lead.

Brady completed a short slant pass to Stallworth, who slipped past Michael Lehan and then spun away from Jason Allen - Miami's much-maligned first-round draft pick from last year - and Cameron Worrell at the 12-yard-line, completing a 30-yard TD.

On Miami's ensuing possession, tight end David Martin collided with quarterback Cleo Lemon, and the ball came loose. Defensive tackle Ty Warren came up with it at Miami's 28-yard line.

The Patriots cashed in on Miami's mistake, as Brady completed a 2-yard scoring pass to tight end Kyle Brady, who got behind linebackers Zach Thomas and Channing Crowder in the back of the end zone.

New England has outscored its opposition, 72-7, in the first quarter this season.

"(The Patriots) have an offensive machine," Miami cornerback Andre Goodman said. "When they're on, they're on."

Ronnie Brown ran straight up the gut of the Patriots' defense for 19 yards on fourth-and-1 at the 47 of New England and Lemon followed with a 19-yard completion to Marty Booker.

Lemon took the ball in himself on a keeper from four yards out on the first play of the second quarter to make it 14-7.

But any momentum the Dolphins gained swung right back to New England, as Willie Andrews returned the ensuing kickoff 77 yards untouched for the score.

"You get a little momentum, then they turn right around and answer," Miami coach Cam Cameron said.

A 35-yard scoring pass from Brady to Moss, who stole the ball away from Worrell, made it 28-7 with 10:44 left in the second quarter.

"(Moss is) such a mismatch," Brady said. "He's got a size advantage and a speed advantage over almost every (defensive back) he goes against."

"It's almost like (Brady and Moss) look at each other and know what the other is thinking," Welker added.

Four minutes later, Brady launched a 50-yard scoring bomb to Moss, who jumped up between Renaldo Hill and Worrell to make it 35-7 with 6:47 left in the first half. Hill was injured on the play.

Acquired in a draft day trade with the Oakland Raiders, Moss already has 10 TDs this season - the most for a New England wide receiver since Stanley Morgan hauled in 10 scored in 1986.

Just before the half, Brady threw his fifth TD pass - a 14-yard scoring strike to Welker - to give New England an insurmountable 42-7 lead going into the break.

Last year, Miami embarrassed the Patriots, 21-0, at Dolphin Stadium on December 10 despite finishing the season 6-10.

But this time around, it was the Dolphins who were embarrassed, as the Patriots amassed 443 total yards against Miami's once-vaunted defense.

"You've got to be perfect," Thomas said. "They got what they wanted and everything they needed today. ... They made us look bad, and we're just not very good right now."

Acquired in an offseason trade, Welker finished with nine catches for 138 yards and two scores against his former team while Moss chipped in 122 yards and two TDs on just four receptions.

"Those guys are making great plays," Brady said. "I can't take credit for Randy's touchdown catches. Those are all Randy Moss. The one to Donte' was a 3-yard pass that he turned into a touchdown. Wes' was a 7-yard pass that he turned into a touchdown."

Lemon completed 22-of-34 passes for 218 yards and one interception. Brown suffered an injury to his left knee midway through the third quarter and was forced to leave the game.

Brown suffered the injury while attempting to tackle defensive back Randall Gay during an interception return near midfield.

After being examined on the sideline for approximately five minutes, Brown walked to the locker room under his own power.

"I tried to plant and it twisted up a little bit," Brown said. "I got an X-ray, and it didn't show anything negative. In the morning, I've got to get an MRI. ... I'm just hoping it's not anything too serious."

Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor intercepted backup quarterback Matt Cassel and reeled off a 36-yard return for a score in the fourth quarter.

It was the eighth career defensive TD for Taylor, who set a new league record for scores by a defensive lineman.

"I always handle these things bad," Taylor said. "But you are never as bad as you think you are and you are never as good as you think you are. There are worse situations you can be in."