Monday 18 September 2017 04:16, UK
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots bounced back from their opening night defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs last week with a 36-20 blowout win over the New Orleans Saints.
Brady threw three touchdown passes in the first quarter for the first time in his career and eclipsed 300 yards passing in the first half for only the second time, as New England scored 30 first-half points.
In truth, the visitors could have healthily added to their 17-point half-time lead but the offence slowed after the break, adding only two further Stephan Gostkowski field goals in each of the third and fourth quarters.
Tight end Rob Gronkowski had a 53-yard catch and run to highlight his six-catch, 116-yard performance, but left the game in the second half with a groin injury.
In Brady and the Saints' Drew Brees, the game featured the NFL's two oldest active quarterbacks but, in this match-up, 38-year-old Brees couldn't quite keep up with the man two years his senior.
The Saints' desperation to stay close was encapsulated by a failed attempt to convert a fourth down late in the first half, despite being well within field goal range and New England up by only 13 at the time.
Brady responded by marching New England to the Saints 10 to set up Gostkowski's first of three field goals, stretching New England's lead to 30-13 at halftime.
Earlier, the Patriots' first three drives of the game ended with a 19-yard pass to Rex Burkhead, Gronkowski's long TD and a 13-yard connection between Brady and Chris Hogan.
New Orleans briefly rallied, pulling as close as 20-13, with Brees' five-yard TD pass to Brandon Coleman and a Wil Lutz field goal, but New England responded with a Mike Gillislee fourth rushing TD on the season after his three last week. The Patriots would hold a double-digit lead for the rest of the contest.
Elsewhere in the early Sunday kick-offs in the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals rallied to beat the Indianapolis Colts 16-13 in overtime - Phil Dawson kicking a 30-yard field goal after the Colts' recently-acquired-QB Jacoby Brissett, making his first start after arriving from New England, was intercepted.
Two more touchdowns from rookie running back Kareem Hunt, to go with his three in the opening week win over the Patriots, helped the Kansas City Chiefs edge out the Philadelphia Eagles 27-20 at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Carolina Panthers relied on relentless defense and three Graham Gano field goals for a 9-3 victory over the visiting Buffalo Bills.
The win was slightly soured for the Panthers, though, with the lose of tight end Greg Olsen to an injured right foot.
The Tennessee Titans forced three turnovers and scored on their first five drives of the second half to see them earn a road 37-16 win over AFC South rivals Jacksonville Jaguars.
In the AFC North, Joe Flacco threw a pair of touchdown passes and the Baltimore Ravens defence forced five turnovers in the home side's 24-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland's rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer left with a migraine midway through the second quarter but returned later in the game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers comfortably saw off the Minnesota Vikings 26-9 at home, with QB Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 243 yards and two first-half touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Bay Buccaneers easily beat the Chicago Bears 29-7 in their opening game of the NFL season, after Hurricane Irma postponed their Week One match-up against the Miami Dolphins.
The Buccaneers actually led the Bears 26-0 at half-time, with the visiting team giving up as many as four first-half turnovers, but only added a further field goal to their score after the break.
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