By Brett Martel
Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS ó Drew Brees and the unbeaten Saints left Tom Brady in the dust, zipping up and down the field in a dominant romp over New England.
Brees threw for a season-high 371 yards and five touchdowns, carving up coach Bill Belichick’s defense like few quarterbacks ever have in New Orleans’ 38-17 victory Monday night.
The Saints joined the Indianapolis Colts at 11-0 ó the first time two NFL teams have opened with that many consecutive wins in the same season.
“It only counts for one win on the stat sheet, but emotionally, those types of wins can mean a little more,” Brees said. “Anytime you can win, and win that way, it builds confidence for you.”
Brees threw touchdown passes to five different players: Pierre Thomas, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, Darnell Dinkins and Marques Colston.
It was the second time the Patriots (7-4) lost to an unbeaten team on the road in three weeks. Unlike in Indianapolis, there was no drama at the end this time, only thunderous chants of, “Who dat say they gonna beat them Saints?”
“There’s obviously a big gap between us,” Brady said. “It wasn’t nearly as competitive as we all were expecting.”
Brady, returning to the Louisiana Superdome for the first time since leading the Patriots to their first Super Bowl title in 2002, was intercepted twice, sacked once and pulled in the fourth quarter with New Orleans leading by three TDs.