A Dizzying Dimension
With a New Set of Weapons, Brady and the Pats Have Been Unstoppable

By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 17, 2007

IRVING, Tex. -- The New England Patriots have been lauded for many of their traits during their stay atop the NFL, including the coaching of Bill Belichick, the winning ways of Tom Brady, defensive grit and front office savvy. But rarely has the focus been on their offensive prowess.

Until now. Not only are the Patriots in reasonable position to chase an unbeaten season, but they also could mount an assault on the NFL record book.

They've scored 230 points in their first six games. That puts them on pace to score 613 points during the regular season, more than the league-record 556 points scored by the Minnesota Vikings in 1998. Brady has 21 touchdown passes, an early clip that puts him on course for 56, seven more than the Indianapolis Colts' Peyton Manning had in his record-setting season of 2004.

These days, the Patriots' defenders stand on the sideline and marvel at the accomplishments of their team's offense, knowing the unit will give them a lead with which to work and confident that opponents simply can't keep pace.

"Our offense is the best defense," Patriots linebacker Junior Seau said in the visitors' locker room at Texas Stadium after Sunday's 48-27 triumph over the Dallas Cowboys.

The Patriots have scored at least 34 points in each game this season. Brady has become the first passer in NFL history to throw for at least three touchdowns in each of the first six games of a season.

Perhaps most amazing is defenses have known pretty much what the Patriots are going to do -- pass -- and still can't stop it. Starting tailback Laurence Maroney has been hurt, and backup Sammy Morris left the Dallas game with an injury, leaving the Patriots with almost no running threat. But it hasn't mattered.

Defenses haven't been able to get consistent pressure on Brady, who has been sacked six times, and they can't match up with wide receivers Randy Moss, Dont¿ Stallworth and Wes Welker. The Patriots remade their receiving corps in the offseason, trading for Moss and Welker and signing Stallworth as a free agent, after losing to the Colts in last season's AFC title game.

It was a testament to the greatness of Belichick and Brady that they came so close to securing a fourth Super Bowl title last season even with a set of wide receivers that didn't come close to scaring opponents. Now Brady has an abundance of offensive talent around him, and he's carving up defenses.

"He's been unbelievable," Welker said Sunday of his new quarterback. "His preparation, his leadership -- everything he does is textbook."

There's been almost no adjustment period for Brady and his revamped group of wide receivers. Moss is having a career renaissance after three uncharacteristically ordinary seasons, one with the Vikings and two with the Oakland Raiders. He leads the league in receiving yards (610) and is tied for the lead in touchdown catches (eight).

When an opponent is especially mindful of taking away Moss, as the Cowboys were Sunday, Brady simply turns elsewhere. Welker and Stallworth totaled 18 catches for 260 yards and three touchdowns in Brady's 388-yard, five-touchdown performance in Dallas.

"We have so many guys who can step up and play well," Patriots safety Rodney Harrison said Sunday. "You can't double-team everyone."

The Cowboys are coached by one of the sport's best defensive schemers in Wade Phillips, and yet they had no answers. They did manage to sack Brady three times, matching the total of the Patriots' first five opponents.

But most of the time Brady was able to stand comfortably in the pocket and find receivers, and the Dallas defense couldn't get off the field when it had a chance. The Patriots converted 11 of 17 third-down opportunities.

"They killed us on third down the whole game," Phillips said. "We tried everything."

The Patriots are taking it all in stride and saying they're paying no attention to the impressive offensive numbers.

"If you win, I think that's the most satisfying thing," Brady said, "more so than throwing touchdown passes. . . . I haven't thought about [Manning's single-season record for touchdown passes] one bit. I don't set my goals like that. Our team is not like that."

Even Moss has gotten with the program immediately, refusing to be drawn into a verbal sparring contest with Terrell Owens after the Cowboys wideout referred to Moss last week as the "other" No. 81. Moss passed on his postgame opportunity to gloat, opting instead for typical Patriots-speak.

"I'm not saying we're unstoppable," Moss said, "but we work hard at what we do. . . . The numbers this team is putting up, I don't think we're really paying attention to it. . . . Coach Belichick brought me into this organization. I just want to make things happen."