The New England Patriots absolutely steamrolled the Buffalo Bills Sunday night, 56-10, bringing their record to 10-0 on the 2007 season. By hammering the hapless Bills the Pats stopped Buffalo’s four-game winning streak.
Pats quarterback Tom Brady threw for five touchdowns – four to wide receiver Randy Moss – while completing 31 of 39 passes for 373 yards. New England’s offense scored on their first seven possessions of the game.
The Patriots tied a franchise record with their 56 points, and solidified their case as the best team in the National Football League. They’ve scored at least 34 points in nine of their 10 games this season, with their lone close win coming over bitter rival Indianapolis two weeks ago, when the Pats overcame a 10-point deficit in the final 10 minutes to beat the Colts, 24-20.
With his four TD snags Moss broke Stanley Morgan’s single-season touchdown record of 12, set in 1979. Barring injury he should easily break Morgan’s regular season mark of 1,491 receiving yards, established 21 years ago, wrote Jackie MacMullan of the Boston Globe, who quoted the usually tight-lipped wideout as dismissing his efforts.
Moss – who had a reputation of being as surly as Barry Bonds – has deliberately kept a low profile this season, since coming to the Patriots from Oakland for a fourth round draft choice.
"What we're doing as a team, I think it speaks for itself. I don't need to be in the paper,” he declared. “I don't need to say anything. I think what we're doing out there says it all."
Brady, meanwhile, is on track to completely shatter Colts QB Peyton Manning’s season record for touchdown passes (49), set in 2004. Brady now has 38 TD passes in 10 games. With his performance Brady broke former NE QB Steve Grogan’s all-time touchdown pass record of 149 … in 43 fewer games than the long-time fan favorite played in.
The Patriots jumped off to a quick 14-point lead Sunday night, with Brady hitting Moss for a 43-yard TD after running back Laurence Maroney ran the ball in for a 6-yard touchdown at 12:17 of the first quarter. Before the first half was over Brady hit Moss thrice more, for touchdowns of 16, 6 and 17 yards. Moss set a personal record with his four TD catches.
Buffalo had cut the Patriots’ lead to 14-7 when quarterback J.P. Losman hit receiver Roscoe Parrish on a 47-yard touchdown strike with 3:38 left in the first frame. It was the lone bright spot for the Bills who had been playing stellar defense coming into the contest. The Patriots also added offensive TDs by tight end Ben Watson (a 3-yard reception from Brady) and a 1-yard scamp by rookie running back Kyle Eckel.
Adding insult to injury, Pats defender Ellis Hobbs scooped up an errant football at 13:59 of the fourth quarter to score a 35-yard touchdown. Maroney, New England’s feature back, was coming off an injury and was held to six carries for 19 yards. Moss grabbed 10 passes for a total of 128 yards.
